Fools' Justice
by Cosmic Sky
Summary: It's funny how a single choice can change everything around you. When Akira offers Goro an olive branch it triggers a chain of events neither Wild Card could have predicted. The game has changed and new players are on the board and cooperation may just be the only way to survive, provided they can all stay alive long enough to learn how to trust each other. AU of P5.
1. Prologue-A Dreadful Fate

**Hello everyone, after half a dozen one-shots I've finally gotten around to a full length story. Needless to say this story is going to be my attempt to give Persona 5's resident pancake boy better treatment than the game gave him. Of course it goes without saying it's going to obviously break from canon and will involve call-backs to past Persona games as well as address some of the game's plot holes.**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Prologue-A Dreadful Fate**

It went without saying that Mementos was not a pleasant place. No, it wouldn't have been wrong for some to call it hell, after all, wonder the twisted subway-like tunnels long enough and a person could probably go mad from what they saw. Red and black, two colors humanity had long associated with evil and darkness covered every inch of Mementos further driving home its nightmarish nature. If that weren't enough those unlucky enough to find their way into the alternate world would be treated to either morbid silence or the haunting howls and shrieks of roaming Shadows. Said Shadows were little more than wild animals, foul beasts born from the depths of the souls that made up the millions of people who called Tokyo home. That description actually summed up Mementos as a whole quite well-a twisted labyrinth created from the collective subconscious of the people of Tokyo, or so few thought.

Being a part of the Collective Unconsciousness access to a place like this was night impossible, at least for a normal human. Those who walked in this world walked with a supernatural power that would have seemed straight out of fiction. On this day and at this hour two such people decided to pay Mementos a visit. As the Shadows that sensed the presence of these two people they quickly sped along the tracks towards them eager to investigate. Within seconds they turned away in fear and dread seeing what the two trespassers were up to least they get caught up in the crossfire.

These two people had chosen Mementos where their attempts to kill each other could go unnoticed and uninterrupted.

Shadows of all shapes and sizes shrunk back and fled from the ongoing battle between the two fighters. The walls and pillars that made up Mementos' various levels shook from the thunderous clashes of their blows. Explosions and flashes of light lit up the dark tunnels illuminating the sickening flesh-like tendrils that covered the walls and the floor. Monstrous blasts of fire and lightning shot outwards in all directions annihilating anything before them, including Shadows who were too slow or too stupid to realize they'd gotten too close to the battle. Counteracting this javelin and arrow-like masses of light flew across the darkness, impacting stone and metal shattering them both to pieces. The backfire of attacks slowly but surely tore the various tunnels and platforms that made up Mementos' upper levels apart. In what had only been a few minutes the first and second levels of Mementos had been demolished forcing the duo to move their battle to the third level.

Peeking out from behind cover a handful of Shadows caught sight of the figures moments before their clash shattered the ground they were standing on. One of them was young and male, his features impossible to make out through a maelstrom of mystical blue flames that surrounded him. The other figure was male as well, but far older, looking like a grown man. Unlike his opponent the flames that surrounded him were wild and bright red, almost the color of blood-like. Behind the two figures twin figures rose up, each one brandishing a sword taller at least six feet tall, easily dwarfing the sizes of their human masters. The two otherworld figures roared behind their metal helmets before swinging their weapons at each other.

Looking away the Shadows failed to see the ground crack then break apart like glass beneath the two fighters. Though they couldn't see them the Shadows knew the two combatants had survived the fall. The evident sound of swords clashing beneath them confirmed their suspicions. A majority of the subconscious manifestations pulled back realizing if they lingered they'd be drawn into the battle between the two while others peered over the edges. They could smell the raw emotions rolling off the two fighters: anger, regret, sadness, and most of all excitement. It was simply too much for them to pass up.

Illuminating the darkness of the supernatural subway were the blades wielded by each combatant. The young man, a boy dressed in a princely white suit with a short red cap, his face obscured by a red bird-like mask, wielded what could only have been described as a laser sword. From the golden basket handle a long green blade composed of pure energy was projected and clashed against the solid blade of the boy's adversary. Parrying one blow after another the teenager's face maintained a fierce scowl behind his mask while his opponent's remained twisted in a gleeful smile showing he was clearly enjoying the battle more than his opponent. The teenager swung his saber with great intensity hoping at any moment his laser blade would cleave through his enemy's physical weapon and land a blow that would end the battle in his victory. Unfortunately for him such a thing was as likely as finding a penguin in the desert.

His opponent's weapon was a sword, but that was where the similarities ended. The term, "cleaver" would have done more justice to the weapon than anything. Faintly resembling something of a cross between an oversized katana and a metal cleaver its sides were illuminated by blood-red lining that ran up the length of the blade all the way to the edge giving the weapon a somewhat eerie and even haunting appearance. Red, green, and orange sparks exploded whenever the two weapons met in battle. Despite its size the sword's owner handled it with the dexterity of a master, parrying the teen's lightning-fast slashes with equal speed and keeping the battle in a stalemate.

Realizing he was getting nowhere the teenager jumped back, his free hand going to his face where his mask dissolved into a mass of blue flames. Above him red-hot flames manifested as did a giant bird whose body seemed to be coated in the fires of the sun. A name cried out, "Phoenix!" At the sound of its name the firebird shrieked then charged headlong towards its master's foe.

The man grinned in response summoning his own supernatural avatar. A muscular figure half covered in armor appeared around him, already raising its sword overhead. Arcs of bright yellow electricity coiled around the blade until it was little more than a sword-shaped bolt of lightning. Roaring the figure bright the weapon down just as the bird was about to make contact.

Mere seconds before the two collided the bird's body exploded in blinding orange and white light. Caught off guard the older man shut his eyes already knowing he'd fallen into the teen's trap. Despite this the grin never left his face even as he heard the boy call out to his most faithful servant.

"Take him down, Robin Hood!"

The sound was so quick and sudden it could have made a person's ears pop and their heart explode. Bracing himself the man held his sword out in front of him in a guard position as the four arrows, each one the size of a stop sign, sped towards him with bullet-like speed.

Four consecutive explosions signaled each arrow hitting their mark. The teenager remained low in his crouching position, the white body of his main Persona behind him patiently waiting for their foe to reappear. Both of them knew the battle wouldn't be settled so easily with such a minuscule attack. Their readiness served them well as the same muscular figure from behind pushed through the smoke, his sword once again raised high, this time with fire coating the steel blade. Robin Hood took off to meet his supernatural enemy while his human master readied himself, spacing his feet apart.

Dashing through the smoke reeling back his sword the older man bellowed a war cry that echoed through the tunnels before bringing his weapon down atop the teenager, who parried with his own laser sword. Seconds later and the teenager's own enraged shouting filled the subway as well as the gravel-like grunts of the ethereal spirits above them.

This back and forth continued onwards without end, the two sword-users going at each other with full intent to kill evident in their every attack. Their battle moved across Mementos like a giant train of death and carnage, decimating everything that got in their way. The white-clad teen continuously switched out his Personas while his opponent kept his one, yet the match remained even between the two fighters. Fire, ice, lightning, bolts of darkness, light beams, and boulders the size of trunks flew at the adult male, but few of the attacks made contact, and even less did significant damage. Explosive bursts of light and energy lit up the darkness and shattered the eerie silence that once permeated the depths of Mementos.

From a distance the Shadows watched the struggle with baited breath and narrow eyes. Though their teeth and bones rattled they remained on the edges of the battle, observing every move made by the two. In a twisted way some of the Shadows found something almost…enchanting in their battle against each other. The raw emotions held by the two fighters, the strength they gave off when they summoned their Personas, and the way Mementos shook from their repeated clash of attacks. It was rare for such an event like this to happen in Mementos, over the last year or so a band of teenagers had been making some noise with their daily visits to the supernatural realm. However, none of their visits resulted in _this_ level of carnage. Truthfully it was almost frightening how easily these two were able to reach levels of mayhem that seven teenagers had only achieved once in a blue moon.

All thoughts and muttering came to an end when one of the two combatants landed a definite blow on his opponent. Like a pack of animals stunned by a flash of lightning or clap of thunder they all went still, frozen in the vacuum the sword slash had created.

At first it sounded like droplets of rain on concrete, slow and fragile, then the spray came. The Shadows all smelt it at once-the metallic, rich, empowering smell of blood. Amongst the more blood-thirsty of the assembled Shadows their instincts screamed for them to attack. It was quite literally like blood in the water.

The man stood in silent apathy as the teenager stumbled backwards, his grip on his laser blade faltering to the point he believed it would hit the ground any second. Instead it rose high, the emerald light of the weapon burning brighter and brighter. What came next was like a miniature solar flare, so powerful and blinding that everyone and everything for almost a quarter mile was caught in the effect.

As the flash faded and the adult realized his young prey had made a sneaky but well-timed escape he chuckled. He was happy even after receiving such a devastating blow je still found the strength to pull off such a daring escape.

"Run, run, little crow, run as far as you like. You can only fly so long before your wings finally give out." He chuckled swinging his sword to the side splashing the thick red paste across the tiled ground. Around him he heard the Shadows disperse and scatter like a pack of sharks or lions tracking their wounded prey. They wouldn't get far as they were hunting someone who'd already been marked, and the prey they thought would be too weak to fight back still had some fight left in him.

* * *

Never in all his life had the young man experienced physical pain like this. From his early days exploring the Metaverse a part of him had made peace with the thought of dying a violent death given the dangers that lurked around every corner. This on the other hand, wasn't quite what he was expecting. Death at the hands of a Shadow he'd expected, death at the hands one of the Phantom Thieves of Heart, he'd made peace with somewhere deep down inside.

But death at the hands of a man he despised almost as much as his father was something he simply couldn't allow.

That resolve in hand the teenage had pushed himself onward until he found what he considered would pass for a safe place for the moment. His back hit the pillar then he slid downwards, not having the strength to put up any effort into standing. Dropping his deactivated plasma saber he put both hands on the bloody gash now spanning the entire length of his stomach. The youth's formerly white and gold-accented uniform was stained bright red from not only the crimson wound along his stomach but from the various cuts and injuries he'd received from his earlier engagements. Blood sipped through his gray gloves and sleeves letting him feel the sticky liquid on his skin.

With trembling hands he reached upwards and removed his bird-noised mask. Wide brownish-red eyes searched the darkness in paranoid fear that either his enemy would appear or a Shadow would jump out and finish what he'd started. His entire body trembled with uncontrollable fear as if a wintery chill had him in its grips and was squeezing the life out of him. Sweat piled up on his brow causing his hair to stick to his face while his mouth began to run dry. Two voices in his head told him to take a moment and calm down, the more he panicked the quicker the Shadows would find him. There was a part of him that wanted to scream at the two to shut the hell up, but he knew the archer and the trickster were doing their best to help him.

A minute passed and the youth did manage to calm himself down a little. Looking downwards he saw his lower body had been almost entirely soaked through with blood. He had to stop the bleeding or else he'd bleed out before any other threat got to him. That's exactly what he'd do, as soon as he managed to move through the burning pain migrating through his body.

"I…never thought it'd hurt this bad." He whispered.

 _ **Well what did you expect? Gladiators aren't exactly known for swinging giant feathers you know.**_ A cheeky voice on his right responded.

 _ **Loki! Be serious!**_ Another voice on his left boomed. This one was firmer and sounded more mature. Naturally the youth agreed with it more, but he knew the voice on the right had a point. _**Goro, you must calm your mind and focus on the task at hand. Reach into your pocket and ingest the medicine.**_

 _ **You mean what medicine he has left? Remember, our friend back there was smart enough to crush most of it so I'm afraid we're running on fumes. Quite exciting, isn't it?**_

Gnashing his teeth Goro worked to do as his light-attributed Persona instructed. Needless to say it was easier said than done as it felt like the blood in his arms was beginning to freeze. Getting his fingers to even move took a strength of will he normally reserved for summoning his Personas and maintaining them while taking physical damage. Reaching into one of his remaining pouches he gripped and withdrew the first item he felt his fingers touch-a Life Stone. The small light-blue orb slipped from his fingers and rolled along the ground.

"Dammit!" Goro screamed exactly as another flare up of pain shot through him. Lightly smacking his head back up against the pillar he removed one hand from the wound. His glove was almost completely stained crimson from the wound on his stomach causing it to stick to his fingers. Blood on his hand, his blood. In spite of the situation Goro found something darkly ironic about it. "How the hell did I end up here?"

Stupid question. He knew exactly why he was here, in this place, in this hell. That being said, it was still an intriguing tell of how he, Goro Akechi, found himself sitting here, hiding out from a psychotic killer hell-bent on carving him up like a Christmas turkey.

Goro Akechi, there were so many identities behind that name: bastard child, orphan, student, Prince Detective, Phantom Thief, Crow, Charming Prince, Black Mask, black knight, assassin, liar, murder, and avenger. It was uncanny for a seventeen year-old boy to have so many personas, but Goro Akechi wasn't an average teenager. No, not by a mile.

For a moment the trembling stopped as Goro let his mind move away from the pain back to the beginning. There was a part of him that wanted to blame this current situation on everyone he knew starting from his father, Masayoshi Shido, to Akira to that stupid butterfly for putting thoughts into his head.

But the truth was this wasn't their fault. Like so many other things it was his.

It was his idea to offer himself as Shido's personal hitman. It was his idea to infiltrate the Phantom Thieves of Heart. It was his choice to accept Akira's proposed truce. It was his choice to accept Terashima's proposal to a one-on-one duel, and his choice to underestimate him.

"Karma, is that what this is?"

* * *

 **Ahem, yeah, this story is going to start out the same way the game does-in medias res with Goro in Akira's place and Mementos in the place of Sae's Palace. Obviously the rest of the story will be how Goro ended up in this situation, granted there won't be any cut-ins or intervals of the present. If you're interested in seeing how Pancake Boy got into this mess and how he might get out of it then read on.**


	2. Chapter 1-Red and White

**Welcome everyone to the first chapter of Fools' Justice. As a rule of thumb I save the author's notes for the end so read on and let me know what you all think of the first chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1-Red and White**

 _ **November 13**_ _ **th**_ _ **,2017, Metaverse…**_

Oddities, that was really the only way he describe the Phantom Thieves of Heart. Each and every one of them somewhat broke the stereotypical mold society had placed upon them, not that it was a bad thing. Matter of fact, Goro actually found it made each member of the team charming in their own odd way. Not that he'd ever tell any of them that, not that any of it would matter in the end.

First off there was Haru, the team's resident rich girl and heavy arms master. On first glance it wouldn't have been wrong to say she was the most feminine of the team, she carried herself with all the proper conduct one would have expected of a child born to high society. At first Goro thought he would grow to hate her almost as much as some of the other rich kids he'd met. He couldn't have been further from the truth. Haru was kind, unfailing kind and remarkable competent, inside and outside the Metaverse. For a girl who just lost her father she was able to stay strong in spite of the trauma and heartbreak. All that wasn't even mentioning how she acted as Noir. Goro was well aware people could hide who they really were behind a charming smile and good manners, he'd done it every day for the ten years. With Haru, a part of him was glad her sadism and inner brutality was confined solely to the Shadows they fought in the Metaverse. Of course he knew one day that brutality would be directed at him when she found out the truth. Deep down Goro honestly didn't relish the thought of killing Haru, but a part of him could accept her killing him in revenge. She had that right and she deserved it for what he'd done to her.

If there was any member of the Phantom Thieves he possessed a heated relationship with it was Makoto. In a lot of ways he both envied and pitied her. He envied her because at the end of the day Sae could always come home to her while he had only an empty apartment. The pity came when he realized how hard she struggled on a day to day basis to keep up her perfect image. Goro knew firsthand how stressful maintaining that facade could be. The difference between them was Goro had his hatred fueling him through whereas Makoto wasn't so lucky. That wasn't saying she didn't have some pent up frustration. Admittedly he'd gone slack-jawed when he witnessed her do battle as "Queen". Watching her ride her motorcycle-like Persona through hordes of enemies, fling atomic fireballs, and break bones and armor alike using her fists. Goro felt an odd kinship watching Makoto work out all her repressed anger as he'd done the same when he'd first awakened his Persona powers. They'd actually bonded over that similarity in rare moments they were alone. Out of all of the Phantom Thieves she was the one he probably respected the most behind Akira. An honor student to the outside world, but a brutal and devoted young woman on the inside. Goro could see why Akira appointed her as the team's second in-command.

As something of a balance between the previous two Ann was someone he wasn't quite sure what to make of when they first met. She'd been ostracized for her mixed blood, something she couldn't control. Goro had been able to sympathize with that due to his own background. The difference between them was Ann had steadily grown a backbone and wasn't afraid to stand up to challengers. In opposition to that Goro had chosen the blend-in route not having the temperament or will to stand up. Hearing and talking to her was somewhat…refreshing. He wasn't surprised to find her Persona wielded fire, fitting as she was a passionate person. Within the short times they'd talked to each other they'd found some common ground in dodging the paparazzi and fans. It was fun exchanging stories with her, her modeling jobs and mishaps and his interviews and fan encounters.

Contrasting to Ann's fiery spirit was Yusuke, a person Goro somewhat made a note to steer clear of. The young artiest had a…interesting mindset, one that Goro wasn't sure was the result of his years of living under a dirtbag like Madarame or if he was just born that way. Still, he often gave Goro some…valuable food for thought. One thing he immediately picked up upon was Yusuke was incredibly blunt when speaking to people, yet at the same time completely ignorant or uncaring of social norms. He had to admit he found it oddly amusing, especially when seeing him interact with Futaba. Deep down he was just a little bit envious of how Yuske was able to go on in spite of the world around him.

Speaking of Ryuji, Goro had to admit, he wasn't quite as annoying as he'd originally thought. Was he a loudmouth who could have taken a class in subtly? Yes. Goro worked with rookie police officers and hotshots less hot-tempered than him. All that aside, Ryuji had one redeeming quality the brown-haired teenager had come to respect-he was loyal to a fault. Bit by bit as they explored the corners of Sae's Palace and Mementos he discovered he and the dyed brawler weren't all that different, as much as neither of them liked to admit it. Yet, there were differences between them, Ryuji had things Goro didn't, things he would have given anything for. In spite of that Goro felt safe trusting his back to Ryuji, and overtime he'd done the same. Goro knew the unspoken trust they'd built up had truly been forged that one summer day he saved him from a mob of rapid fans. No one had ever stuck their neck out for Goro that way, and try as he might he couldn't get the incident out of his head.

" _As team muscle watching everyone's backs in part of my job."_ He once told him wearing a big grin while hoisting his mace atop his shoulders. _"That includes you, big-noise."_

" _Actually no, Skull, that's my job. Your job is finding the bad guys and gonking them on the head. My job is watching everyone's back."_ Futaba had cut in with her chirpy voice.

Goro remembered the childish argument the two had gotten into while he stood there smiling to himself. He'd never been around people like this, people so open with each other and him.

Futaba was one of the people he'd felt pity for, then he came to like her. Despite being a hikikomori Futaba was quite lively and quick-witted. He supposed those traits were always there, but her mother's death and the subsequent treatment by her family pushed them down. With help from Akira and the others the girl had started down the road to recovery. Though she was zany and as unversed in social norms as Yusuke and Ryuji she possessed a certain charm Goro had picked up on. That, and her being an open nerd made it somewhat easy for the two of them to talk to each other. Never in all his life did he think he'd be able to talk about his "nerdy" hobbies with someone, especially someone whose life he'd indirectly ruined. Every time Futaba smiled at him he felt an odd mixture of joy and nausea. It only got worse at night when he went to sleep and the guilt he'd kept bottled up for two years came rushing back to him. Like with Haru, he knew it was entirely possible Futaba would want to end his life once she discovered the truth. He wouldn't hold that against her.

Perhaps the oddest member of the bunch was Morgana. When Goro had discovered the Metaverse he'd been exposed to a great many things. Some of them were horrifying and surreal while others simply left him feeling awed. Morgana was in the latter camp. A talking cat was one thing, a talking cat that transformed into a near cartoonish humanoid creature that could summon a Persona and fight was simply pushing things too far, yet he'd seen Mona with his own eyes. The fluffy blue-eyed cat had been a reliable ally and somewhat mentor to all of them. His comedic crush on Ann and constant bouts with Ryuji aside Goro would have gone to say he was one of the more mature members of the group. He'd raised the team from nothing, taught them, mentored them into becoming the heroes that had taken Tokyo by storm. Goro didn't know whether to commend the feline or hate it, most days it was both. Over time he'd come to realize like everyone else the cat had grown on him.

Last but not least there was the enigmatic leader of the Phantom Thieves, Akira Kurusu, Joker.

He was the closest thing Goro had to a best friend, yet at the same time he was the closest thing to a rival as well.

He'd taken a group of outcast kids and turned them into a well-trained and well-coordinated team that had put Shido's organization on high alert. He'd done what had taken Goro years to do, and still there was a part of him that couldn't find it in him to hate the dark-haired teenager. When they'd first met Goro didn't think much would come of him, but then things changed. They kept running into each other, and the more they talked the more Goro began to realize the glass-wearing youth was going to change everything, for better or for worse.

At first Goro didn't want to believe it, but as they'd dug deeper and deeper into Sae's Palace he'd realize the cold hard truth.

For probably the first time in all his life he had someone to call a friend, and if everything went as he planned tomorrow that friend was going to be lying in an interrogation room dead by his hand.

Watching Akira masterfully cleave through numerous Shadows he tried to tell himself it would have been better off that way. He was the team's center, if he died then the rest of them would fall apart so he wouldn't have to go after them. That, or he'd be able convince Shido to wait until after the election to kill them by which point he'd be able to make his move.

Having seen him in battle Goro didn't look forward to a physical confrontation, Akira was strong, but he was still stronger even if he only had Robin Hood and Loki to call upon. Killing him at the police station would be the cleanest and safest way to do things, it'd be less painful for the both of them that way. Granted, he was sure the minute Akira saw his face he'd curse him out. Like with Futaba and Haru he wouldn't hold that against him.

 _It all comes down to you, doesn't it?_ Goro thought watching him from a safe distance as he dealt with another wave of enemies. Like him he could solo entire hordes of enemies on his own, a fit Goro had found both irritating and admirable. _If we did fight it'd be one hell of a battle. Though I'd win something tells me you'd probably leave me with a few scrapes. I almost wish that's how this could-_ "ARG!"

It took him a second to realize Ryuji had decked him. He was about to demand an explanation when the saw the fiery explosion light up the patch of ground he was standing on. Shutting his mouth he looked over to find a dark shadow standing before a frozen Akira. He recognized the looping chains and bloodstained button-up coat. The lone overgrown eye that poked out of the hole of the red-stained cloth sack atop its head.

"Shit." He mumbled seconds before the immensely powerful Shadow let loose a horrific wail while aiming its guns at the two of them. Briefly Goro looked down to the panting Ryuji and realized he was out of breath, meaning he wouldn't be able to react in time. "Robin Hood!" The white-clad archer appeared above the two, his bowstring already pulled back with a golden arrow notched. At Goro's mental command the arrow flew directly towards the massive fireball now heading their way. Both teenagers shut their eyes as the explosion lit up the space in front of them.

Akira was upon the two of them almost a heartbeat later. Helping Ryuji up he looked to Goro. "I'm thinking it's time for us to call it a day? Any objections?" He looked to the others who were staring at the howling Reaper with a mixture of fear and annoyance. In almost complete unison the assembled teenagers shook their heads. "Can I trust you to cover us?"

Goro really hated it when Akira put his trust in him, yet he hated himself more for feeling obligated to make sure the red-gloved teen's trust wasn't wasted. In a minute he was on his feet and firing his ray gun at the blood-soaked abomination. His reward for his heroism was a torrent of mammoth-sized fireballs, air blasts, ice blasts, and bullets almost half his size. Keeping his eyes glued to the reaper as he dashed across the rusted ground he counted down the seconds it took the team to load themselves into Morgana's van form.

"Bird Boy! Die! Die! DIE!" The singular eye locked in on him, enlarging to the point Goro feared it would of its socket.

Goro felt his entire body freeze as if caught by some invisible force, one with a vice-grip. _Mudoon!_ He realized glaring at the Reaper. Immediately he weighed the odds the Shadow's attack would work. It had no doubt just arrived and he was only at half-strength so his chances were fifty-fifty.

"Heads up, Crow!"

That of course wasn't taking into account the black and yellow-stripped automobile with eyes slamming into the Reaper at full speed. The invisible force seizing Goro's body disappeared leaving him free to fall to his knees. He sat there, in slight awe as the gun-toting monster went flying several feet before hitting a wall. _I've been down here God knows how many times, and I never thought I'd see the Reaper get taken via out car-fu._ The young detective thought.

Morgana's side door burst open and out came Ann's face. "Crow! Come on! We're done for the day!"

"R-Right! Coming!" Sprinting towards he jumped into the backset, brushing up against Yusuke and Haru on his way in. The brunette shoved Yusuke aside to reach over and slam the car door shut. "Q-Queen!" He called out to the front seat.

Mere seconds later and they were all moving, speeding down the railway while behind them the Reaper shouted obscure death threats. The sound of gunshots permeated the air around them for what seemed like an eternity before following coming to an end.

"We lost him." Futaba finally stated from up in front of Goro causing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief. "Good job out there everyone, plenty of XP all around."

"As if we needed the extra training." Ryuji groaned wiping the sweat from his brow. "Well, Crow did, I didn't."

"I seem to recall someone still using up all his power throwing lightning all over the place then forcing someone else to cover for him." Ann chirped crossing her arms.

"Hey! I just get a little excited is all!" The team's muscle cried getting defensive.

"We've been doing this for almost a year and you're still acting so childish. Typical monkey." Morgana chirped, his voice resounding all around them.

"Hey! Watch it, you stupid cat!" Ryuji barked kicking the roof of the bus causing Morgana to let out a resounding groan.

"Watch it! Do you want to walk back home!?"

Up in the front Akira and Makoto burst into laughter, which was soon followed by Yusuke and Haru. Ann huffed and looked out the window while Goro merely laid back with a content smile. "I think it's sort of a good thing Ryuji's still his usual self. Truthfully, I think it's a good thing we all still know how to enjoy Mementos when we come down here."

At that the entire group shared a brief collective chuckle realizing Makoto was right. Despite the tension they still needed time to themselves to relax. Unlike most kids their age they simply found relaxation to mean beating the ever loving crap out of the dark manifestations of Tokyo's population.

"Are you feeling okay, Akechi-kun? Not to be rude, but you have been spacing out a lot, ever since we came to Mementos?" Haru asked leaning over.

"O-Oh, y-yeah. Sorry about that, I-I've just had a lot on my mind lately. Sorry about the inconvenience everyone. I'm just a little…jittery about tomorrow." Like that he caused the mood in the van to do a complete one-eighty. Behind the wheel he saw Makoto's body tense up. "It's nothing really. I'm just over thanking things."

"In that case just be like Ryuji, think less." Morgana offered.

"Hey! Do you want me to kick you again?"

"Children, no fighting in the Phantomobile." Akira spoke sounding a lot like a father disciplining a pair of kids. Morgana and Ryuji grumbled to themselves but none the less stopped before thye could even get started.

"I still hate that name, just for the record." Morgana grumbled.

"I like it though," Haru purred.

"So do I, it's got a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" Ann added rubbing the sifrs of the door resulting in Morgana letting out an elongated purr of content pleasure. Said purr resulted in the entire van seemingly vibrating.

"I still don't think I've gotten used to that part." Goro whispered to Yusuke who'd whipped out his sketching pad.

"I actually think it's quite enduring. I've taken to attempting to capture moments like this so we'll have them to look back on." The blue-haired teen smiled. Turning around his sketchpad he showed Goro a pencil and paper drawing of all of them fighting off Shadows. It always amazed the detective how calm and collected Yusuke could be the heat of battle, not to mention focused. His drawings resembled something of a Shonen manga fight scene or old painting.

Goro would have liked to have kept one of those pictures for himself as a reminder. If he had though, it would have become just another moment to his history of bloodshed and betrayal, one that likely would have killed him every time he looked at it. Feinting sleep he laid his head back and listened to the idle chatter of his teammates. _It was fun while it lasted, I…really started to like you guys. Maybe if I'd met some of you a few years sooner…things could have been different._

When he next opened his eyes they were all back in the real world, standing in the park amongst the shadows of a handful of trees. The mid November air was cold sending a slight chill through all eight teenagers and their feline company. Several of them looked up the sky to see the former gray sky had now turned multiple shades of red and orange.

"Heh, look at that. Seems like we made it back for one hell of a sunset." Ryuji noted stretching his arms and legs. "Talk about luck."

"It is quite the sunset. I'd like to paint it if I could." Yusuke spoke looking almost mesmerized.

"Then go do it." Akira shrugged. "We all know tomorrow's a big day, for all of us." He ethnized looking over his entire team with steely eyes. "Everyone has the rest of the day off, use it to rest up."

Even before he'd joined the team he'd enough time watching everyone to know where they'd be heading. Ryuji had mentioned earlier he was going to go meet up with some old track mates. How he found it in himself to associate with the same people who'd turned their backs on him was beyond Goro, but that was a riddle for another time. Ann had a photo shot she quickly ran off to. Haru had a meeting with Sojiro, something about teaching her how to brew coffee while Yusuke hurried off to find a vintage point to paint the sunset. That left Makoto, Goro, Akira, and Morgana, who'd made himself at home inside of Akira's bag.

Akira walked over and placed a hand over his teammate's shoulder while looking over at Goro. "Sae's lucky to have to a pair like you two, and you two are lucky to have a team like ours backing you." Both brown-haired youths looked to each other then to him in shock at his brazen comment. In his bag Morgana giggled a little knowing where Akira was about to take the conversation. "A little sister ready to put her life on the line and a partner ready to put his career on the line, just wish I could tell her that without worry of being carted off to jail."

While Goro couldn't help but laugh Makoto bowed her head in solitude gratitude at her teammate's attempt to cheer her up. "T-Thanks Akira, I guess I kind of needed that." She turned over to Goro. "Thank you for everything you've done to get us this far, Akechi-kun. I…kind of hate to say it but, we wouldn't have made it as far as we did if it weren't for you."

They probably never would have made it pass the first level of Sae's Palace. They sure as hell never would have accumulated enough points to prove to Shadow Sae they deserved to be taken seriously. "I'm just doing my part as member of the team and as Sae's partner," He stated giving them the same charming smile he gave everyone. "I will admit though, I'm actually eager to see Sae's Palace disappear myself. Being competitive is one thing, but to the extent that Sae-san's taking is…" He wanted to say it was understandable. In truth he wasn't that surprised when they came upon Sae's Palace; Goro knew how she'd arrived to the conclusion that winning was all that mattered in life. The winners were the ones that prospered while the losers had to wallow in their misery. "I'm just thankful you all let me in on this little adventure. I've had a lot of fun."

"You know the fun could still continue," Akira leered.

"He's got a point, we made it pretty far thanks to you." Makoto added fixing him with a smile.

He wanted to say yes, but in order to do that he'd have to throw away everything he worked towards for the past two years. No matter how much Akira and the others had grown on him he couldn't do that. "Sorry, but we all have our paths we must follow. You guys have the road of thieves and I have mine own. It was fun, but after this I'm afraid we'll diverge."

Accepting his answer Makoto looked towards the walkway. "I'm…going to go head to the library. I need to go research some things. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Goro was ready to leave as well, and he was about to, but Akira had one last thing left to say. "You free for the next hour?"

"Come again?"

He tried to read the expressions on the Phantom Thief's face, but he was coming up with a blank. It was as if Akira was hiding something from him; that immediately put Goro on guard. "I was thinking you and I could spend a little more time together. You've been really stressed out the last few days."

"Have I?" He feinted. _No thanks to you._

"Yep, I know it's a little late, but I had an idea. Have you ever gone fishing before?" The black-haired teen said placing both hands in his pockets.

"Fishing?"

* * *

Shameful as it was, in all his life Goro had never once gone fishing. Though he'd dreamed of it for years he'd never found the time to go down to a pond or fishing hole, grab a fishing pole and just enjoy himself.

Yet another childhood wish fulfilled, thanks to Akira. Goro wanted to believe that would make blowing his brains out easier.

The Ishigaya Fishing Centre was relatively deserted by the time they got down there. The chilly weather had no doubt played a part in turning people away, something Akira might have counted on. After releasing Morgana into the surrounding bushes for some private exploring the two boys had rented their fishing poles, found am isolated spot and sat down side by side. Before them the sun had begun to set turning the water a myriad of bright colors that sharply contrasted to the cold gray and black that was the Tokyo skyline. With their fishing pools in hand the two lost themselves to the almost mesmerizing calm the fishing center was able to induce in them.

"It's a shame we can't take any of these home, I got a feeling we'd be able to make some pretty tasty sushi." Akira laughed reeling in his fifth catch.

"You know, I was trying to hold off until tomorrow, but coming down here is really making me reconsider pigging out." The brown-haired teen admitted. It had been a while since he'd watched the sunset, matter of fact Goro realized he hadn't watched it since he infiltrated the team. "I kind of always wanted to go fishing…with my…parents."

"I always wanted my parents to take me to the zoo." Akira offered. "Never happened because he wasn't exactly a big fan of animals. Truthfully my dad's one of those office types, the kind that likes to spend all his time indoors."

"Think you'll be able to convince him to keep Morgana?" The older of the two questioned.

"If I can get my mom to warm up to her then I'll be home free." He responded without a care in the world. Knowing Akira, he probably already had a plan to convince his father to keep Morgana. "Was you mom fond of animals?"

Something in Goro tugged, like a strand of hair being pulled. With years of self-control under his belt he was able keep himself contained and respond in a way that didn't arouse any suspicion. "No, she had a habit of feeding birds, but I don't think she had a thing for animals. If she met him she might have made an acceptation for Morgana seeing how well-behaved he is." A brief smile came to his face thinking of how his mother would have reacted to the blue-eyed cat. "I believe she told me my father liked dogs. They were loyal and obedient…doing everything they're commanded to do. He likes creatures that do as they're told."

Akira kept his eyes forward as well, his own turbulent emotions swirling around inside of him. "Is that why you're going to kill me?"

Goro let go of his rod the second he processed the words. His eyes went as wide as the moon and his mouth froze in a straight frown. Internally he was as screaming his head off, banging against invisible walls and tearing at his hair. Akira reached over and caught his fishing rod before it could slide off into the water. Goro's gloved hands twitched involuntarily as did his eyes.

A full minute of silence between the two passed before Goro's red eyes snapped to Akira. Gone was any calm or joking attitude-all that remained were anger, shock, and even fear. "How?"

Akira didn't waver under the fierce glare his supposed teammate was giving him. "Pancakes." He answered calmly.

"What?"

"You heard me, pancakes."

"Is this some sort of joke?" Goro snarled fighting off the desire to wrap both his hands around the younger boy's neck, public appearances and plans be damned.

"Use your head and you'll get the picture. If you're really as smart as you like to act then you'll realize where you slipped up." He fired back.

Goro racked his brain around every event involving him and the Phantom Thieves. His first thoughts were of denial, there was no possible way he'd slipped up enough to give himself away. Memories of the last five months flew through his head like a news reel. He went over the entire thing several times before he was able to slow down and focus on one event in particular. Focusing on the word Akira said he recreated the mental image in his head until the answer hit him right in the face. _No._ He thought staring ahead at the water like a deer caught in the headlights. _No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, NO!_

 _ **Damn, of all the ways to get busted it had to be that one. I guess you can't trust food after all.**_ A snide and mocking voice cackled in his left ear.

Even though it was probably the last thing he should have been doing, Akira smiled. There was a special sort of glee he caught in catching the young detective off-guard every now and then. Sure it may have been counterproductive to his goal and even condescending, but the look on Goro's face was simply too much to pass up.

Another minute passed before Goro was able to collect himself. He took back his fishing rod and threw the lure back much further than he had before. "What now, _Joker_?"

 _Well, time to see if I'm a great a charmer as everyone thinks I am._ He thought inhaling deeply through his noise. Looking down at his watch he realized he had almost thirteen minutes to convince Goro to open up to him. _Thirteen, great, as if my life wasn't enough of a cliché._ "I'd like the truth. You plan on selling us out tomorrow, don't you?"

"…You're the only one." Cold as ice Goro looked at him with eyes nearly devoid of any kind of emotion. There was one there, a mounting anger that resembled a kindling fire. If the wrong word was said it would ignite into a raging flame. "If I kill you then I won't have to kill everyone else. Ann, Makoto, Ryuji, Haru, Futaba, Yusuke, and Morgana. If I kill you the rest of them will lose their motivation and won't be able to keep going. I'll be able to convince my superior there's no reason to go after them."

"I see." Akira nodded reeling a potential catch back in. "Then you're stupider than I thought."

A flash of hot anger flew through Goro's eyes. "What?"

Akira kept his gaze focused on the water as he tried to reel in his next catch; despite that his voice was every bit as firm and powerful as it was in battle. "You're an idiot if you think killing me is going to break everyone enough they'll just call it quits. If you really knew us you'd know we've come too far to stop, if I die fine, but I know everyone else will keep fighting in my place." There was tug, but Akira's pull was greater. A decent-sized carp he added to his pile. "Besides, if you kill me the rest of the team would hunt you down, would you be able to kill them too?"

"I've killed enough people already." Goro responded darkly. "What's six more and a cat?"

"Then how come you kept spacing out? It's hard to picture, isn't it? Killing someone isn't easy when you know the name and personality behind the mark, is it?" The Wild Card responded.

Goro got a bite but chose to let it go. His hands were beginning to tremble. "You don't understand a damn thing, If I don't have to kill Sae and the others then I won't, but unless I get them out of the way somehow then they're going to end up facing people a whole lot worse than me."

"So you're doing everyone a favor?" Akira snorted.

"Would you rather have them grieving in their homes or each of them getting a visit from men in black then their bodies turning up somewhere like a sewer?" Once their eyes locked a battle of wills erupted between the two. Neither teenager was willing to back down.

Akira shut his eyes in annoyance and rubbed the bridge of his noise through his glasses. He was short on time and he couldn't waste what time he did have fighting with Goro. If push came to shove there'd be plenty of time for that later. "Look, I'm just asking for the truth. I know you're too smart and _just_ decent enough to be doing all of this just for shits and giggles."

The orphaned teen's glare didn't cool down, if anything it actually intensified. "You don't know a damn thing about me."

"I know you're doing all of this for your mother." It was just the blow he needed to crack a hole in Goro's defenses. His eyes went wide for a brief second before narrowing again. His entire body spoke of barely controlled anger he was sure the detective was fighting to keep under control. It was without a doubt the angriest he'd ever seen Goro. "You told me…your mother was abandoned by some no good man, and if you could you'd do anything to make that man pay for what he did to her. I knew right then and there you weren't joking, not with the look in your eyes, trust me, I've seen it before. Whoever is behind this, whoever you're going after, was killing all those people really necessary? Was killing Haru's father really worth it?"

There was an edge in Akira's voice, true anger was finally beginning to break through. "You have no idea what or who you're up against, do you?"

"Then explain to me, Goro." Akira snapped finally feeling his patience come to an end. He was tired of playing this little game. "Who is it you're working for? Who's the one masterminding this? Who's the one who really set us up?"

Fully turning to face him Goro's face was dark and ominous. He didn't look like a teenager, instead he looked almost like a doomsday messenger. "The man who set you guys, who ordered me to kill Okumura, the man who's had me running around the Metaverse as his personal lackey is the same man who got you put on prohibition and is on his way to becoming Prime Minister of Japan." _And the same one that railroaded YOU into my life! Into MY plan!_ His voice was a hair's breath away from becoming a shout, but he didn't care. Now was his chance to let out some of the pent up anger he'd held for the knife-wielding Persona-user.

"What? The hell are you…" The words slowly died in his mouth as the pieces came together in front of Akira. The night almost one year ago came back with stunning, painful clarity. Now it was his turn to go wide eyed and let the rod stumble from his hands. The bloodied bold face he'd stopped glared back at him, only his face didn't have a trail of blood streaming down it, it now had a pair of orange-tinted glasses. Remembering Goro's prior comments he continued to piece the dots together until the horrifying picture was on full display. He looked Goro square in the eye and said the only thing he could to summarize the situation. "You have got to be fucking kidding me. Shido? Masayoshi Shido? The same douche bag running for Prime Minister? The one who cheated Ryuji out of an elevator?"

"Yes, you-wait, what elevator? Gah, never mind. Yes, that Shido, that man is the leader of the conspiracy out to kill you and the others and my superior." The brown-haired teen clarified looking greatly agitated. "Get the picture now? You're going up against a man with almost the entire country backing him, both the masses and the political system. You've got as much a chance of beating him as Morgana does at dating Ann."

Shaking off his shock Akira returned the assassin's glare. "And you do? Is that why you became his lap dog? To get close enough to kill him?"

"I don't want to kill him, I want to destroy him, I want to _break_ him." Never had Akira seen a person's eyes shine with more murderous intent than in that moment. It was actually so off-putting he felt the desire to distance himself from Goro least he lash out at him. "Everything I've done, every life I've taken and ruined…I'll pay for it, but _after_ I've robbed that man of everything he holds dear. In case you're wondering that's the invisible empire he's built while the people of this country have been sitting on their asses listening to his every word like a kid hearing a bedtime story."

Akira sat in silence somewhat stunned at the revelation. He was expecting something big, but everything from Goro's tone and words spoken conveyed the how deep a hole he'd dragged everyone into. _All this time…we were running around, poking the lion's foot, and we went and woke it up._ A stream of mental curses ran through his head as he clenched his teeth. "So…you're willing to sacrifice us all for revenge? Really noble, _Prince Detective_." Like an angry child Goro looked towards his stack and made a move for it. It was clear the conversation was over. "Wait!"

Seeing Akira grab him by the arm Goro felt an immediate desire to smack him into the water. His eyes more than conveyed the feeling. "Let go."

Akira knew right now was the make it or break it point. He either shot for the goal and succeeded, or missed and opened himself up to a world of hurt. "Fine, revenge, I can understand that. But do you think Shido is going to let you live when all of this is over? You've killed people for him, you're his bastard son. He's going to kill you."

"I'll stop him before he gets that far."

"Is that really a gamble you want to take?" Akira challenged, his own eyes darkening. "Goro, I know you're a lot of things, but stupid isn't one of them. We both know what kind of man Shido is. You know he's not stupid enough to trust everything to you, don't you?"

The edge came back, and it was sharper and hotter than ever. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You've been planning to betray Shido from day one, if everything you've just told me is true. From the sounds of things he's become no better than a crime lord. You're a detective, you've worked with the police on gang cases. You know how people like that think." For a hot second Akira really thought Goro was going attack him, if he did they were going to have a hell of a time explaining this to overseers. "I know you don't want to kill the others, you don't want to kill Sae, what I'm asking is we keep doing what we've been doing."

"Which is?"

"Partnership." For the first time in a while Akira saw Goro's eyes cool down and his body posture unwind. "You want your father to pay for what he did to you and your mother, I want my name and the team's cleared. You may not think those two things line up, but I do. We can both get what we want, and we can both walk away from this with our lives."

Finally Goro sat down, though his gaze was still like a razor. "What are you getting at? Why the hell should I keep working with you? You know _everything_. If anything I should just kill you now and tell everyone the Conspiracy got to you."

"That's just it, if you killed me you'd have to kill everyone, then you'd be facing Shido, alone."

"I've succeeded until now, all by myself. What makes you think I can't go the rest of the way alone?"

Upon hearing that sentence Akira's eyes softened considerably. If anything the look he was giving Goro now was almost one of pity. "Because if you do that you'll be killing the only people who ever gave a damn about you besides your mother. How are you ever going to face Sae having killed the only family she has left? Is that something you think you can live with?"

"You'd be amazed what people can live with." The brown-haired Persona-user fired back in a near snarl. Despite that Akira continued looking at him with pity, it only made him even angrier.

 _ **Perhaps instead of getting angry you should actually stop and listen to what he's telling you, asking of you.**_ A firm masculine voice boomed in his left ear.

"You already hurt Haru once, how much more are you going to make her suffer?" Akira asked in a soft and even voice. For what felt like the hundredth time that day he watched Goro's eyes go wide and his face falter. "I've seen the way you look at her. That guilty look every time she helped you or covered for you. Same thing with Futaba. How much more are you going to hurt them before they can get justice?"

A shut jaw and trembling eyes were the leader's answer. Behind his red orbs Goro was internally debating, the primal fury was gone. All the guilt and doubt he'd shoved to the back of his mind and locked behind an iron gate was slowly trailing out, and he didn't know how to stop it.

"I'm asking you this because enough people have already died or gotten hurt so far. I can tell, rather you admit it or not, you've gotten attached to us. You can say it was an act, but I know what I saw. If you go through with this…I can't promise you this isn't going to end with all of us lying in a pool of blood in Mementos." He took off his glasses and looked out towards the water. There was probably one minute left. "You can hate me if you want, but I'm asking you all this because, I honestly don't want to see you die."

"Because you pity me?" Goro said with his mustered up spite.

Sighing he looked his supposed rival in the eye, his dark grey meeting Goro's blood-red. "You're not the only one who's had the crap kicked out of him by society, and just because you can do something alone doesn't mean you have to."

Goro didn't say anything else, not until one of the shop keepers came over and told them it was time to close up for the day. Together the two boys gathered their things and headed for the exit. Before leaving they decided to get their collective haul weighed.

"Heh, twenty-three pounds, not a bad haul." The shop keeper weighing their fish exclaimed. "Well boys, you just won yourselves an hour of free fishing the next time you chose to stop by."

The two traded a brief look before giving their thanks and leaving. A few minutes later and they were aside the gates. From the bushes Morgana came racing out, quickly making himself at home in Akira's bed. Poking his head out he looked at Goro with calculating eyes.

"So…" Akira began.

Goro's eyes expression was unreadable. While the aura of anger he'd previously possessed had faded he still looked at Akira like a potential enemy, one whose fully capabilities he couldn't decipher. "I'll give you an answer by midnight tonight." He stated in a voice devoid of any sort of emotion.

"And we know you'll keep your word how?"

"You don't, you're just going to have to trust me." He answered in a deadpan manner. His eyes went back to Akira. "Do the others know? Was this all part of some plan?"

"No…at least I didn't tell them specifically. I wanted this talk to be one on one." He said patting Morgana's head. "See you tomorrow." Turning his Akira was almost ten feet away from Goro when he turned his head backwards. "Hey, were you ever able to go to zoo?"

The question caught Goro off guard and for several seconds he was slow to respond. When he did there was a faint light in his eyes. "Once when I was eleven."

"Did you enjoy it?"

"…Yeah. I did."

With his question answered Akira departed taking Morgana with him. Goro didn't move from his spot even as the two faded from sight. From his pocket he withdrew his phone, checking it he found no new messages had come up nor had he missed any calls. Somehow he had a feeling Akira was telling the truth about their entire conversation being private. He really had passed the ball into Goro's court and even turned his back to him.

At last the brown-haired assassin began to move in the direction towards his home. Above him only a few rays of sunlight peeked out, painting a handful of red streaks across the dark night sky. If Goro looked hard enough he could almost picture red rays as streaks of blood flowing across the ground.

* * *

 **So there you have it, the point of divergence is Akira offering Goro an olive branch, and giving him a reason to take it. I'd like to imagine if they ever were alone together Akira would punch more holes in Goro's plan than he could count, everyone else seems to. Now I know this is all might just be wishful thinking, but this whole story really is a "what if" scenario where Goro actually stops and thinks how his actions are going to play out.**

 **Joker-Yes I'm using the manga name, mostly because it's the name that's just stuck with me. Plus in the context of the story it fits better. There's a specific reason as to why he chose to talk to Goro here and now which will be elaborated on later. As the secondary protagonist he's going to be getting just as much spotlight as Goro will.**

 **The Phantoms-This chapter started with a brief summary of how Goro felt about each of the Phantom Thieves. By this point Goro's spent almost five months watching them, inside and outside the Metaverse so he's learned a lot about them and formed a personal opinion on each of them. It's pretty much a given by the time of the Casino Heist the team's grown on him, of course that's also part of the problem as Akira pointed out and capitalized on. As previously mentioned Akira's the focal point so Goro thinks if he eliminates him he won't have to go after everyone else, in his own way that's mercy and the best case scenario.**


	3. Chapter 2-Self Determination

**So here's chapter where we see just how our lead protagonists follow up the talk they had.**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2-Self Determination**

Goro had a lot of things going for him to keep up his public image as a charismatic young detective. One of those things was being able to afford an apartment in Grand Concierge Roppongi. Granted, he hadn't exactly earned it fair and square. The story he gave the public was his parents simply had left him a decent-sized trust fund which he used sparingly. It hadn't been a lie, but it hadn't been the whole truth either. He partially had Shido to thank for it since he'd given Goro access to the money he needed to afford the apartment. Then again, technically speaking the money belonged to him in the first place.

Simply put, like so many things his residence was just another part of his two-faced, enigmatic existence.

Greeting those coming and going at the doorway with a friendly smile he kept his turbulent hidden on the elevator up to his floor. Living on the fifth floor of the building hadn't been his choice, if possible he would have preferred to have gone higher, but he wasn't willing to push his luck. All things considered he was lucky to have such a lavish apartment where as years before he was struggling to make ends' meat with a single bed in a two-room apartment that smelled like crap twenty-four seven. Just before he pushed the door open he shot a quick glance to his left and right, when he saw nothing suspicious he walked into his apartment then quickly shut the door. Hearing the lock click shut brought untold relief to his weary soul.

His first action was to head to the sink. Whenever he felt stressed out or unnerved he always found splashing cold water over his face tended to help calm his nerves. It was a habit he'd picked up from his mother, one he felt he'd never be able to shake. He kept throwing water onto his face until he felt the droplets beginning to stain his necktie and undershirt. Once he reached that point he realized it was time to stop and turned the knob bringing the water flow to a stop.

Goro watched the water drown out with empty eyes. He wished life were so easy, washing away all of ones' problems with so little effort and struggle. On the other hand, he also saw it as a reminder of just how easily one's achievements and treasures could have been lost. The more he watched the water the more detached he felt himself become. Briefly shutting his eyes he saw himself standing at the edge of a cliff, before him a dark swirling mass of water silently asking him to take the next step and give himself to the dark abyss. A hand flew over his eyes wiping the moisture from them. In his head the single whirlpool became two-one jet-black and the other bloody red.

Still carrying the stone-cold expression he walked into the building with he proceeded towards the living room. Out of the corner of his eye, on one of the bookshelves he spied a vase of flowers he'd received from one of the officers down by the station as a present. Reaching out he turned it over in his hands marveling over the fine work that had gone into it. No doubt it must have cost a fortune.

Goro's lips trembled for a second before they twisted into a feral snarl. "That self-righteous, arrogant, piece of shit!" Roaring at an invisible figure he hurled the vase across the living room, the blue and green pottery piece shattered against the wall. The hundreds of fragmented pieces clattered to the ground as he stood there, his breathing as heavy as an ox. Still hyped up on the adrenaline and rage he lashed out with his fist, driving it directly into the wall, creating a small circle of dents and cracks. Normally the pain would have had him moaning and cradling his hand, but his still smoldering anger was acting a suppresser. Another fist met the wall, then before Goro knew it he was pounding away at it as if it were a punching bag.

 _ **If you keep this up you're going to break your hands. Route A or B, you're going to need those.**_ A deceptive voice whispered in his ear as he was pausing to catch his breath. _**How's about instead of annoying the neighbors you do something constructive, like I don't know, consider what Kurusu has to offer us.**_

There were times he wished Loki could manifest in the real world, if only Goro had something to hit and not feel guilty about. Still, it didn't change the fact that the horned Persona had a point.

 _ **Before you do that, perhaps you should treat your hands.**_ Robin Hood offered placing an ethereal hand over Goro's bruised ones. Through the gray of his gloves he could see some blood beginning to seep through turning them a darker shade of gray verging on black.

"Ye…Yeah." For the second time he walked over to the sink and pulled off his gloves then he held them under the water. For a brief second the transfer of heat stung, but he quickly moved past it. Red mixed with white and flowed down the drainage. "He doesn't understand a damn thing, he knows nothing about me or what I've gone through to get to this point. None of them do."

 _ **Quite the contrary, you've steadily been telling him more and more about yourself over the last couple of months. You've told him enough to put the pieces together.**_ Beside him Robin Hood's red-beaked helmet manifested looking at him with a sideways glare. _**Have you forgotten it was an actual person you were talking to and not just another plastic figurine?**_

As he did earlier Goro swung his blood-colored orbs to his right, glaring holes at the translucent white figure that stood before him, arms crossed and looking every bit imposing as he did in the Metaverse. Beside him, to his left a strange-humanoid creature whose body was covered in black and white in a confusing pattered chuckled. The dark grin plastered on Loki's face couldn't have been any different from that of that of a demon's.

 _ **My, my, seems someone's been rediscovering his boldness over the last month. To think I'm usually the one who makes the low blows and snide remarks. Robin Hood, I must say, I'm a little impressed.**_

The bow-wielding warrior shot his "companion" a look of completely disdain before focusing on the young teenager. _**Are you angry at him for actually seeing you for what you are and offering to help, or are you angry at yourself for not realizing how vulnerable you'd let yourself become?**_

Rather than answer Goro turned his attention back to tending to his hands. Provided he didn't do anything else stupid his hands should have been mostly healed by tomorrow morning.

A series knocks sounded from his front door.

Goro wanted to scream at how the day had been going for him so far. Quickly making a makeshift-ice bag and attaching it to his right hand he walked over to the door, forcing down the red hot emotions that had been tearing him apart for the last hour. When he peered out the peephole and saw a middle-aged woman with long black hair tied in a ponytail he mentally cursed. Moving his still throbbing right hand behind his back he unlocked the door then swung it open. "H-Hello, Hayagawa-san."

When he first moved in one year ago he really didn't know how interact with people, he'd gotten better over the years, but Goro still preferred keeping to himself. Of all the tenants he'd met probably the most enigmatic was Chikako Hayagawa, a middle aged woman who had made it something of a habit to check up on him from time to time. He really didn't understand why the forty-two year old systems overseer made a point to check-up on him, maybe it had something to do with the fact he and her son were surprisingly close in age. From what he'd been told he'd gone off to study overseas so he'd theorized the woman must have come to see him as some sort of surrogate.

"A-Akechi-kun, yes, I, uh, I heard some what sounded like someone banging against the wall. I was wonder if…you…" Her crystal blue eyes scanned his disheveled face and stained collar. In retrospect answering the door but not drying his face had practically left him exposed, and Mrs. Hayagawa was more than smart enough to put the pieces of it all together. "I take it you had a rough day?"

"Y-Yes ma'am, y-you could say that." He couldn't invite her in. Sure once or twice he had for tea and small conversation, but in his state he didn't know if he'd be able to hold himself together. "I apologize for the noise disturbance. I'll try to keep it down for the rest of the night."

"Well, don't do it on account of me. I'm heading out for the night, called in to perform some late night work." She laughed. "Have you put some ice on it?" Against his better knowledge Goro held up his right hand exposing the wounded limb to her. "Huh-uh, would you mind if I come in, I promise I won't touch anything."

He should have told her, that he could handle it himself, instead he welcomed her inside. Over the next couple of minutes he found himself sitting on the couch, his gloves laid out on the table as Mrs. Hayagawa looked through his kitchen pantry for medical supplies. When he first moved in he was smart enough to move everything concerning his employment under Shido out of sight. Even if he rarely if ever had people come over the last thing he wanted was a stray visitor finding his gun or one of his files.

"If I may, it never ceases to amaze me how a kid like you manages a place like this." Her voice called. "Even if you work with the police catching dangerous criminals you're still pretty young."

"With all due respect, Hayagawa-san, I've seen more than my fair share." That was only the tip of the ice berg. Looking down at his bloodied and beaten hands he mentally laughed at how they symbolized exactly what kind of life he'd lead up until that point. "You don't have to do this for me. I can take care of it myself."

She came back a minute later holding up a first aid kit retrieved from one of his closets. "You're right, I'm doing this as a favor since you've been such a good neighbor to me and my husband for the past year. It's not often we run across a young man as kind and intelligent as you, not to mention one living by himself." Sitting down on the couch beside him she took his right hand first. "So which one, the shutdowns or the Phantom Thieves?"

"L-Little bit of both, ma'am. The department's at its wits' end trying to solve both. I'd like to say I'm handling it better, but I'm afraid even I have my limitations."

"Well of course you do, sure you may be an ace detective, but you're still a kid." He winced as she applied the ointment to his red skin. Keeping her blue eyes focused on tending to his injuries she continued to speak, "You come home every night to an empty home after dealing with God knows what; of course you'd reach a breaking point eventually. Everyone does, that's part of being human. Believe me when I say we've all had our bad days."

Deep inside Goro felt something in his gut twist. "Hayagawa-san, believe me, I know. My issue is when people take those feelings of frustration and rage out on others. I've seen the aftermath."

"I'm sure you have, but," With her thumb she pointed to the adjacent wall where he'd punched few holes into the white stone. "If everyone could just stop at that then the world would be a safer place. You should consider investing in a punching bag, it does wonders for my husband whenever he's pissed off at someone he works with."

As she finished tending to his right hand he held out his left hand. "I'll consider it." _I already have enough punching bags, and I'm already someone else's punching bag, Hayagawa-san._ "Again, I'm sorry for the noise disturbance. I…hit something of a dead-in in one of my cases. It's quite frustrating."

"Have you? So even the great Prince Detective has his troubles?" She leered shooting him a quick smirk. Tiny jolts of electricity jumped up his arm into his brain as her warm fingers made contact with his still wet skin. "Either leave it or try asking for help, that's what I always do, granted leaving it tends to get me yelled at by my boss."

A brief image of a bald screaming face flashed in Goro's mind. "I can understand the feeling." The response came out faster than he anticipated. "I find it a little strange you're being called back this late at night."

"Well, when you work for one of the largest power companies in the world life doesn't exactly play fair with you. Really, I've gotten used to having to ride out in the middle of the night because my boss is so eager to impress his boss." The dark-haired woman sighed reaching for the wrappings for the cuts and tears in his skin. "Word of advice, if you ever consider a career change, think twice before going into a company full of egoists and suck-ups."

"So this is confirmation of the rumors I've heard about SEBAC's upper staff?"

"That they're self-centered pricks who care only about their own self-advancement? Oh, definitely. Still, the job has its perks." Fixing him with a smile she held up his bandaged hand. "I'm happy, I make enough to support my family, and I get to live next door and exchange stories with a mini detective." Smiling Goro accepted the praise in silence as she finished tending to his hands. "There we go, all done."

"Thank you, Hayagawa-san. I…I appreciate the thought and the words." Was all he could muster testing out his hands.

"Just make sure to take care of yourself, nowadays good young men are in short supply." She responded heading towards the door. With a simple wave she closed it leaving Goro alone in his apartment once more.

Looking down at his bandaged hand he felt a familiar feeling crawling around in the pit of his stomach. He felt this way before, whenever Ann or Haru found the time to treat his injuries in the middle or aftermath of a battle. Affection and rage, like a double helix these two emotions always welled up inside of him whenever someone showed him personal kindness. The more he thought about it the angrier he became; images of Akira and the others quickly flew through his mind like leaves propelled by a guest of wind.

Once more his fists raised themselves above his head with the intention of coming down onto the hardwood table. If not for the intervention of the archer and trickster by his sides he would smashed his hands into the wooden table and more than likely reopened his woods.

Robin Hood's glare was stern, like a parent that had caught a child misbehaving, again. _**Here we are, once again. Is it so hard for you to accept help from someone else? To acknowledge the kindness shown to you by another and not see it as pity?**_

Loki's look was one of disappointment more than anything. Usually the horned god was all venomous laughter and murderous smiles, when he was neither Goro knew it meant he'd done something seriously stupid. _**I'm all for venting, but I'm for it when it's productive. Reopening your wounds after your neighbor was willing to take time out of her busy schedule to heal you seems a bit wrong, don't you think?**_

Still not releasing his mental hold on Goro's right arm Robin Hood shot Loki a quick glare. _**Productive venting?**_ He challenged. _**Is that what you call it?**_

 _ **Oh phish posh, it's not like you don't do the same, Robby.**_ Seeing the light-attributed Persona's eyes twitch was more than enough to bring a smile to Loki's face. _**Hey now, let's not fight in front of the kid, especially since for once we're both in agreement! That's a positive, right?**_

Sneering in annoyance the teenager yanked his arms free of his two Personas and ran his hands through his still wet brown hair. His head was hurting, and it wasn't because Robin Hood and Loki were manifesting at the same time. He'd long gotten used to one or both of them appearing as faint shimmering entities only he or other Persona-users could see. While he'd heard the saying hearing voices in your head, he never quite realized how literal the phrase could be until he got the mythological Norse god and British folk hero as guests in his already screwed up mind. Now was one of the times he wanted to tell the two of them to be quit and leave him alone, but he couldn't find the strength for it. Instead he merely put his hand over his eyes while they bickered back and forth like children until finally he had enough.

"QUIET! BOTH OF YOU! CHRIST, YOU'RE WORSE THAN RYUJI AND MORGANA!" His eyes were blazing with righteous anger and his face was feral.

Both Personas looked at him looked at him with somewhat shocked expressions before settling into fairly neutral frowns, or at least Robin Hood did. Loki looked at him with an impish grin, the kind that told him he'd just slipped up.

 _ **Earlier you said because of us you could stand being around that blond dumbbell and cat, now it almost sounds like you prefer them to us. Goro, I'm almost hurt, haven't we treated you right?**_ The black and white deity chided feinting a hurt expression while looking away, though the wide grin was still present.

Goro and Robin Hood glared daggers at the horned god. While they'd both gotten used to Loki's acts of drama that still didn't mean they found it any less irritating. Goro spoke up first, "I don't prefer them to you two, in fact, I wish I could get rid of all of you. Then I'd finally be at peace."

 _ **Then who would you have to talk to?**_ Robin Hood didn't seem fazed by the sharp glare his master threw his way, in fact, he almost seemed bored by it. He'd lost track of how many times Goro had shot him that frustrated look ordering him to be silent. At first he'd bent to it knowing the boy needed his time and space, but that time had passed. Too long had he been silent, and that had cost all of them dearly. _**When you first awakened us, you were happy you finally had someone to talk to. People you could confine in. Even Loki-**_

 _ **Ahh, Robby, thank you.**_

 _ **A scoundrel he is,**_ He finished sneering at his companion. _ **You admitted to valuing us deeply. Now you're telling us you wish to be rid of us like you wish to be rid of some of the few people who have ever shown you genuine affection? If you keep behaving like this you'll be no better than your moth-**_

" _SHUT THE HELL!"_ It was useless to strike at Robin Hood's ethereal form. Since this wasn't the Metaverse he couldn't physical interact with his Persona; unfortunately, that rule didn't apply both ways as Robin Hood and Loki could plenty interact with him. They had power over him, the kind of power he'd long resented and vowed never to allow anyone to hold above his head ever again. "I told you…don't _ever_ mention her." Try as he could Robin Hood didn't disappear into nothing like he usually did when he manifested before Goro's eyes. His continued resistance only added to Goro's mounting frustration.

 _ **Ah-hem, I can't believe I'm saying this, but Beak Boy's got a point here.**_ In unison both swiveled their heads to stare at the monochromatic Persona. Without eyes it was hard to tell what ran through Loki's mind, and his mouth usually gave away nothing but a row of red teeth belonging to that of a predator. _**Aki did have a point when he said the odds of Shido letting you live are slim to none, they might be even less than him ever saying, "Good job son, I'm so proud of you!".**_ Leaning in closer caused Goro to physically move back, his face wide and somewhat fearful. He kept moving back along the couch until he hit Robin Hood's muscular body. A white-gloved hand fell over his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. One with bony finger Loki jabbed his master in the chest. _**That's the real reason you're angry, isn't it? Sure, when you killed Shuetsu you said you'd beat Shido to the punch in betrayal, but we all know better now, don't we? You've done his dirty work for the last two years…cleaned up the messes and buried the bodies. You've learned what kind of man he is from the inside out. You know if he ever does praise you…it'll be as you're choking on your own blood and on your way to whatever afterlife awaits a scoundrel like you.**_ Sliding his finger up to Goro's neck he attempted to crease it only to be stopped by Robin's firm grasp. He didn't need to look up in order to know the archer was glaring at him. _**You're a smart boy, Goro, but some of those smarts must come from dear old dad, right? Put yourself in his position, do you think he'll take the risk in keeping you around past Election Day, or even let you live that long if you knock out the loser seven and their pet cat?**_

Within his stomach Goro felt stones begin to drop. Not for the first time that day he began to feel sick to his stomach. This was the kind of sickness that turned his mouth into sand paper and his mind into a rusted collection of gears. For the first time since down by the fishing hole he began to sweat. Above him Robin Hood remained passive and dark while Loki's sickening grin continued to widen.

Slowly and calmly he got up from the couch and walked over to the hallway leading to his room.

Most kids dreamed of one day having friends come over and watching TV or playing video games together. Goro had long since abandoned those dreams when he moved into his apartment. He'd gained too much to risk such a thing.

For the most part his room was simple, a single bed against the far wall right in front of a window. On all sides stood bookshelves filled with books and novels…and figurines he'd spent years collecting. Phoenix Ranger Featherman, Super Sentai, and even a few mecha from his preferred shows, he'd long resigned himself to keeping such nerdy interests and hobbies to himself. Looking at them he always thought he'd be lucky if he managed to keep even a few of his figurines after turning himself in. He tried not to think about what would happen to his things after he exposed himself, but from time to time the thought crept back up. Across from the bed and on his left stood a desk containing a closed laptop a stack of books and a lamp. All things considered the room was ordinary, just what you would have expected from a seventeen year-old kid, orphan or not.

Reaching beneath the bed he felt around for the gap in the floor planks, when he found it he gripped the edges and pulled. Minutes later and beside him lay a stack of wooden planks, and in his hands lay a collection of papers and documents held in folders and binders. Delicately he led them all out atop his bed, assuming a sitting position in front of him.

Names, faces, bank accounts, familial records, court decisions, and intercepted letters, everything he'd collected while working for Shido. All the evidence he needed to bring down his father and his accursed organization from the inside out. Looking over the collection of papers Goro always felt a twinge of pride, he may not have been a true detective, but in his opinion he came close. It helped that by using him to build his shadowy empire Shido had given him all the information he needed to burn it down. Some nights as he read through his collected dirt he couldn't help but giggle in dark delight.

 _ **Two years of scrapping and clawing, playing the obedient lapdog, not a bad show for it all.**_ It was obvious Loki was reminiscing about those times he personally shook Shadows down for information and invaded their minds prying their deepest and darkest secrets for Goro's ear.

 _ **Yes, while dirtying your own hands you've uncovered all the dirt required to put your father and his associates away.**_ Robin Hood challenged.

 _ **Oh quit acting so high and mighty, it's not like you ever avoided getting your hands dirty. As matter of fact, to give people hope you had to do quite a few dirty deeds, deeds that would have turned the stomachs of most men. What's the difference between what our dear Goro and you?**_

Rolling his eyes at Loki's attempt to rile up Robin Hood Goro held up one of the files. "As long as I have these I don't need anything or anyone. I've got more than enough information to make sure Shido never sees sunlight again, a hell of a lot more than what the others have."

There was something in Robin Hood's glare that was unnerving to Goro, like he knew something he didn't. Or to be more accurate he was going to voice one of the teenager's many unspoken worries. _**Yes, you have enough information to topple Shido…but have you considered you only have it because you'll never get the chance to use it?**_ As he expected Goro's face fell immediately. Already the archer could see the desire to refuse him rising, he had to kill it before it could reach the surface, now once and for all. _**As Akira said, there's not a chance he's going to let you live having done the dirty work to get him this far. You're too much of a liability, worse, your very existence is a blight to him.**_ At hearing that Goro's right eye twitched. Sharpening his gaze he spoke to him in his booming and thunder-like voice, it being the only sound in the room besides the wind flowing through the cracked window. _**You keep holding out somewhere done the line he'll acknowledge you…Goro, we all know praise to anyone but himself is alien to that man. Is that not why your hatred for him burns so fierce? Is that not why decided if your father wouldn't love you then you'd take everything he had? Is that not why your mother wasted her life away leaving you alone in the darkness?**_

With every word Goro felt his heart beat slower and slower while his eyes grew wider and wider. "N…no…no…no…he…he has. He…he…he did…t-that one time after I-"

 _ **Flowery words my dear boy, give the dog a bone and it'll be obedient for a little while longer. Long enough for it not to raise much a fuss when it's finally put down.**_ Cackling with dark glee Loki latched one invisible arm around Goro's neck. The action sent a wintery chill down the teenager's spine, one that physically made him shudder, much to Loki's amusement. _**That's one time out of how many? Twenty? Thirty? Oh what does it matter, that one is enough right? Because is he praised you once that means he'll do it again if you keep trying, right? Keep trying and trying and eventually you'll hear those words, "I'm so proud of you, son!" that's what you've kept telling yourself, isn't it? Keep killing, keep lying, keep thieving and daddy will love me! I'll be just like him! Then he'll have to-**_

 _ **LOKI!**_ Thundered Robin Hood yanking his arm free of Goro's neck, who had gone somewhat catatonic during Loki's speech. _**That is enough! I won't stand for this any longer! Your poisoning of his-**_

 _ **Poisoning? I'm trying to help him! The same thing you're supposed to be doing, the problem is Robin, you're taking too long! Time is short and unless a decision is reached our window of chance to make the king pay will have passed! Or do you actually enjoy serving under him? Does it bring back fond memories?**_ If Robin Hood had teeth Loki was sure he would have seen them as the white-muscled archer looked at him with a glare of utter hatred and contempt. Using Goro's head as an armrest he leaned in close so his beak-tipped head was almost locked with his horns.

By this point Goro's fists had begun to tighten nearly turning his knuckles white. He bit his lips in an attempt to control his raging feelings to the point he could feel blood on his tongue. "I…It's too late…I've come too far. I…I-"

 _ **Have you given so much of yourself to Shido that you've forgotten your other dream? The one the Phantom Thieves fulfilled for you? To for once in your life have friends, people who could rely on you?**_ Though his voice was still grave, there was an edge of tenderness in Robin's voice as he looked down at his master. _**The first friends you ever had, are they worth sacrificing when they could be at your side?**_

 _ **Good point, plenty of meat shields to draw Shido's fire when the shit hits the fan.**_ Loki offered ruffling Goro's hair.

 _ **Is betraying them worth forever condemning yourself to darkness once more?!**_

"I'm already condemned!"

 _ **Not according to Akira.**_ Robin barked.

"Shut up! I don't need his pity! Or his friendship!"

 _ **Then why did you keep coming to see him day after day at Leblanc? Why did you think your life wasn't so bad when he laughed with you, smiled with you? Why is it your heart cried out in joy when he accepted you into his band?**_

In attempt to block out the Persona's words Goro covered his ears with both hands. He wanted Robin Hood and Loki to stop talking, stop making him second guess every decision he'd made up until now. But that wasn't going to happen, because the two of them were only mouth pieces for the light and darkness within his heart, two forces he could never block out no matter how hard he tried.

Removing his hand Loki laid back on an invisible recliner. _**What's with all the shouting and complaining? It's not like joining with them will change the ultimate goal. What's the worst that could come with aligning with the Phantom Thieves? Is it admitting you've been doing things wrong all along? Could it be playing second fiddle to the person who had everything you ever wanted?**_

 _ **Is it wrong to stand beside and learn from a person you admire?**_ Seeing where Loki was heading Robin Hood knew he had to act or else he'd lose the battle, and his master. _**Why? Why is joining forces with them so hard to do?**_

"You know why!" Goro shouted feeling himself close to tears of frustration. "Akira may know, but the others! When the others find out what I am, what I've done they'll hate me! It's only a matter of time!"

 _ **And you don't think Akira will stick up for you?**_

"Why would he!?"

 _ **Did he not offer you a chance, even after discovering how much blood you've shed?**_

"Even Haru's kindness can have limits, and they're sure as hell not going to forgive me for framing them for murder." He tried to argue.

 _ **So you're just going to run away? The same way your mother ran away from-**_

"I TOLD YOU TO STOP TALKING ABOUT HER!"

 _ **Why? Because the more you think about her the more you realize how similar you're becoming to both your parents, the same parents you once claimed to despise from the depths of your heart?! Maybe because the further down this path you go the more shame you bring to the only man who ever treated you like-**_

"SHUTUP! JUST SHUT THE HELL UP!"

 _ **Blocking your ears and shutting your eyes isn't going to change the fact you're heading straight for the edge of a cliff, and if you don't act now you'll plummet to your death!**_

"I KNOW THAT! I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN THAT! WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN!?"

 _ **Nothing, rather you ally with them or not your end goal won't change, so why raise such a fuss?**_

The archer and teenager slowly turned their heads in unison to look at the Norse trickster. For once he wasn't smiling. That fact only was enough to make the two forget they were arguing and give Loki their full attention.

 _ **You knew from the get-go that Shido was going to kill you, the thing was you planned on being faster on the draw. It doesn't matter if he praises you once or a thousand times, will it ever be enough to make you forget what he did to you and your mother?**_ Sitting up he towered over Goro just like Robin Hood, only whereas with the former there was an air of sternness with Loki there was…nothing. His expression reminded Goro of a child looking at a puzzle, only now just realizing he had all his pieces he needed, yet still unable to decipher how they all fit together. _**His praise won't magically bring your mother back to life and it won't undue the pain you suffered living in one shithole after another. So is his praise really worth the continued strife?**_ Reaching over he gripped the top of Goro's head so he couldn't turn away from him. A vicious snarl split Loki's lips, one that reminded Goro and Robin Hood of a ravenous wolf. _**Which one do you want more, his praise…or to see his face contorted in pain? Didn't you vow on your mother's grave to see him lose everything just as the two of you had? Didn't you vow no matter what it took, no matter how long it took, no matter who you had to go through you'd see him crushed by the same despair that had brutalized you? Where has that resolve gone? Did he placate you with those sugary words? Was your hatred so weak and pathetic it could be snuffed like candle?!**_

His hands which had gone numb slightly began to twitch. "…No."

 _ **Murder, lies, theft, and blackmail. These are the evils you've immersed yourself in to carry out the justice you believed in. Has that justice been carried out?**_ A slow shaking of the head answered him. _**Allying with those you both admire and scorn? Have you not turned your noise and kissed the feet of men and women whose very existence made you sick to your stomach because it served to further your goal? At least with those idiots you don't feel the overwhelming desire to separate their heads from their bodies, do you?**_ Again, another shake of the head, this one somewhat firmer than the last. _**They have power, for better or for worse they've made it this far, what's wrong with using that power to further your own goals? Have you not used the greed and darkness of others to advance? What's wrong with using the light? When all is said and done let them hate and despise you, but only after you've seen your justice carried out give yourself to their judgement! What's stopping you from doing as you've always done, bearing your teeth and charging on through, come what may?! What causes you to hesitate?! What, Goro?! ANSWER ME NOW LEAST I CRUSH YOUR SKULL AS PUNISHMENT FOR VILATING OUR CONTRACT!**_

Robin Hood stood where he was in stunned silence at his companion's sudden outburst. Never had he seen Loki this…forcefully, not even when persuading Goro to go through with the most heinous of acts. Yet, here he was, going all out to turn Goro away from the darkness, albeit in his own warped way. Red flames traced the humanoid god's body like preludes to a crimson inferno. Though he knew he should have acted in Goro's defense something told him to be calm and wait. Sparing a quick glance downwards he saw his master had gone wide-eyed and still as a statue. Loki was at least giving him time to contemplate his answer before following through on his threat to crush Goro's skull, granted the child had no idea Loki couldn't physically harm him. Psychically was another matter entirely, not that Robin Hood would let the trickster god get that far.

Besides the slight intakes of breath it was hard to tell if Goro Akechi was even alive. His unblinking eyes stared forward, but not at his monochromatic Persona. They seemed to be looking at something far off in the distance.

In that far off distance he saw Akira and his father standing side by side. The former turned looking at him through those damned thick-rimmed glasses he didn't really need. His smile made Goro's eyes twitch. When his father turned his head it was a look of annoyance and dismissal. Something in him snapped seeing those heartless eyes through those orange-tinted glasses.

" _Goro, your father was a…he…he was a bastard. A bigger bastard than you, don't you ever forget that."_

Those words had stuck with him all his life, had hung in his head every night he went to sleep. For years a part of Goro had hoped his mother had been wrong, that she was just bitter, but now as a young adult he knew she was right.

That revelation made his hatred burn all the hotter.

Looking up at Loki with determined, dark eyes he answered the Justice-aligned trickster in a voice several levels deeper and more mature than he'd ever sounded. "Nothing. Nothing's stopping me…and nothing will, not until that bastard is lying in a pool of his own misery…just like me. I'll use everything I've got to make that happen, no matter what or who it takes."

The feral snarl that had warped Loki's visor-like face receded allowing that trademark smile to return. A content sigh left the horned god's lips as he removed his hand from Goro's head. Without a word Loki slouched back on his invisible recliner, a placated grin plastered all over his face before he shimmered out of existence leaving only the teenager and British archer.

When Goro turned to face Robin Hood the archer felt a simultaneous rush of awe and fear at the look in his eyes. It was like that of tempered steel, an unbreakable force no words or weapons could put a dent in. Good and evil no longer applied, yet somehow Robin felt no reason to be alarmed. Straightening himself up he bowed his head in a show of loyalty and respect to his master. _**Until you have struck your target, I shall continue to be your bow and arrow, our contract continues, my young master.**_

"…Thank you, Robin Hood." His voice was barely above a whisper, but it was calm. Shutting his eyes the caped Persona finally dismissed himself leaving Goro alone in his bedroom, and for the first time in hours, at peace. "What the hell did I just do? Do they make medicine for this stuff?" Akira once told him he got their medical supplies from a so-called "miracle doctor" who could make medication for just about anything. He'd heard something about a back alley doctor supposedly better than those that worked in Tokyo's finest hospitals. Maybe he'd pay this doctor a visit if he ever found out his or her name. "If only they had a medicine for guilt, then life would be oh so much easier." _But if medicine like that existed the world would be an even more screwed up place._ While his head was still hurting he felt a little lighter, like an unseen burden had finally been lifted from his shoulders. It made breathing a tad bit easier. "Uh?"

At first he believed it to be a mere trick of his eyes, but this time he was sure. Tiny blue particles fluttered about before his face. Without raising too much of a panic he turned to his right shoulder to find a seemingly glowing blue butterfly sitting on his shoulder. He blinked once then twice, yet the tiny insect was still there. It looked so peaceful sitting on his shoulder as if he were a statue or tree branch.

It was his intake of breath that scared the butterfly off, or maybe it had just decided it had grown tired of him. Either way Goro watched as the glowing creature fluttered through his cracked window leaving a trail of bluish-white sparkles in its wake.

Shaking his head he searched through the pile for his hand drawn layout of Shido's Palace. It had taken him six consecutive visits, each more dangerous than the last for him to chart out a path way through his father's cruise-shape themed inner world. The intense feelings of disgust he felt upon first laying eyes on the vessel were still lingered within him. A lone ship carrying the Japanese Diet Building through a flooded and ruined Tokyo. It truly made his stomach turn how one man could be so selfish yet have millions of people believe him to be nothing but a kind and well-intentioned figure of authority. Goro was glad his Shido never tried to convince him what he was doing was for the "good of Japan", he would have snapped and lost it right there. What made it worse was how his father's fellow conspirators seemed aware of Shido's true feelings and motivations, yet went along with it anyway. More times than he could count Goro had gone to bed dreaming what it would be like to sink the floating vessel and sending its captain and all its occupants into the bottom of the cognitive sea.

It wouldn't be easy, but he hadn't made it this far through luck nor had the Phantom Thieves. Once they were in it'd be easy enough to slip away from the group and make a bee-line for Shido's inner chamber. It'd be tough, but the Phantoms should be able to make it out alive, by the time they'd realize he was gone he'd have Shido's Treasure in hand and his Shadow would be lying in the corner, having been beaten down by the son he refused to acknowledge.

"Just a little more." He laughed placing his hand against the map. "Just a little more…and I'll have done it. All these years…just a little more and it'll all pay off."

* * *

It was five minutes to eleven when Akira heard his phone ring. Before picking it up he shot a quick glance at Morgana, who'd snapped his head at the device's ring.

With a tensed-up body Akira accepted the call and held the phone up to his ear. "Hello?"

On the other end came Goro's voice. He didn't sound happy or annoyed or even angry with him. It seemed like he'd just called him up to discuss an extremely trivial matter. "I thought about what you said, my answer is yes. I won't sale you out tomorrow."

The feeling that came next was like dodging a bullet, literally. Immediately a relieved smile fell over the black-haired teen's face as he laid back against his bed, his chest rising and falling slowly.

"Wipe that stupid smile off your face." Goro snapped through the phone sounding annoyed.

"How do you know I'm smiling?" Akira challenged with a grin he couldn't see.

"Because I know just as well as you know me." He retorted with a huff. What Akira wouldn't have given to see the look on the young detective's face. "I'm not doing this because I care about any of you, I'm doing this because…I…realized you might have had a point earlier." There was a brief pause where Akira heard Goro reaching and swallowing something, perhaps a drink or something. When he came back his voice was more even than before. "Once we take Sae-san's Treasure the police are going to scramble, they'll corner us and we'll all be sitting in an interrogation room."

"Yeah, I figured you'd pull something like that." The younger of the two noted. "So…what's the plan?"

"Why are you deferring to me? Aren't you supposed to be the leader?"

"Yeah, I am, but I'm trusting you to have a way out for us."

"Because you don't have a plan?"

"I never said that, did I?"

"…You know I really hate you sometimes." Goro growled taking another sip of his beverage. "Yes, yes you idiot, I have a plan. Like I said yesterday, if you cut off the head then the rest of the body will die. You're the head so you're the most valuable target. If you break off and flee they'll forget the others and go after you."

Akira raised an eyebrow at this as did Morgana. Despite his reservations the feline kept silent and continued to listen in.

"When they go after you they'll forget about the rest of us. In theory they'll have every right to as none of the others pose much of a threat, _me_ on the other hand," There was a dark chuckle that sent a slight chill up Akira and Morgana's spine. "Anyways, you're right, I have a plan. One that fortunately doesn't involve you getting caught and brutalized."

"Why do I feel like you wouldn't mind too much if that happened to me?" Akira spoke crossing his eyes.

Another dark chuckle followed before the older boy was able to compose himself. "Once we steal the Treasure break away from the rest of the group, say you plan on drawing the police's attention."

"You want me to walk into a trap?"

"Yes, except technically speaking it won't be you walking into a trap. Akira, do you like magic tricks?"

Akira blinked as did Morgana. "What?"

"Magic tricks? Do you like them?"

"Ye…ah, sure I do. Goro, I'm not seeing how you're going to-"

"Do you trust me?"

"…Yes, I do. What about Shido? Won't he suspect something's up if I manage to escape?"

"I have a plan for that. I'll tell you more tomorrow, _after_ we've stolen Sae-san's Treasure."

Slowly a smile crept across his face as he placed one arm behind his head and leaned against the wall. "You really like Makoto's sister, don't you?"

"Goodnight."

The line went dead. Akira looked over to Morgana who returned his triumphant smirk with a dry stare.

"I can't believe you just did that. I can't believe that just worked." He groaned scratching his head. "What did you say to him down at the fishing hole?"

"I simply told him something he didn't want to admit, and odds are he went home, fantasized about punching me in the face a few times, then realized I was right." The human responded running a head over his black curls. "To be honest, I didn't think he was going to take the offer either."

"For all we know he could have been lying." Morgana spoke fixing him with a sharp look. "You've laid it all on the line to help this one person with more blood on his hands than any of us, why?"

The smile he'd worn fell from his while the cheery mood dispersed. Akira looked at his phone then to Morgana, his eyes dark and his face set in a deep frown. "I…really don't know for sure. I guess I just saw how this whole thing was going to end-he betrays us, I escape, we fight, one of us dies, and that's it. To be honest things would have been easier if I hadn't done anything but…" Briefly his hands tightened into fist; Akira's head lightly smacked against the wall. His frown curved into a somewhat sad smile. "I guess I see how much pain he was in. All those times we talked, I saw a little more and more, and what I saw was a guy in pain. When he joined up with us I saw him smiling, laughing, there was no faking that. If I didn't do anything…I just felt it was the sort of thing I'd end up regretting for the rest of my life." A humorless laugh escaped the Phantom Thieves leader as he turned to face his feline companion and confidant. "I had the choice to walk away and do nothing once before, I didn't take it. Sure the consequences were bad, but…here and now…I don't regret it."

Smirking Morgana trotted up to his knees and made himself at home. "Old habits, huh?"

"Yeah, something like that. Pretty stupid, right?"

"Nope, if you've got no regrets then there's nothing to worry about. Just make sure to keep a level-head. We're still dealing with a cold-blooded murder who's killed God knows how many people."

"You don't have to remind me. Actually, that's kind of why I offered him a deal. Call it a hunch, but if I can make this little adventure just a tiny bit easier then I'm all for it."

 _ **That, or is it you simply wanted the pleasure of taking Shido's personal pawn and turning him against him? Irony does have a certain delicious taste to it, doesn't it my dear master?**_ The darkly polite and even voice of Arsene sounded in his ear.

Even though he knew Akira inside and out, there were still times he was able to scare Morgana. Times when he adjusted his glasses while wearing a devilish smirk was one of them, it often gave the impression he was every bit the criminal deviant rumors at Shujin had made him out to be.

When he broke off into dark, ominous bouts of laughter, such as he did at that moment, it proved to Morgana he didn't need his glasses to be scary.

* * *

 **So there you have it, a continued alliance of convenience. Now I'm not going to say Goro changed his ways out of his discovery of his love and respect for the team, he just realized he can get more use out of them than simply abandoning them all after the Casino Heist. One thing that always struck me about Goro is how goal-oriented he is, unlike Adachi who did his crimes for kicks for Goro they were just stepping stones to a final goal. While said goal wasn't exactly noble it was understandable; in this case he just realized there was more than one way to reach his goal while another goal wasn't worth the continued effort. Because of how he arrived at this conclusion don't expect him to be particular friendly with the rest of the team, at least for a while.**

 **Files-It always seemed a little absurd to me how Goro planned on confessing to all his crimes without any shred of evidence beyond his own words so I rectified it by having him have gathered evidence against Shido by shaking down the Conspirators Shadows for information. Since Shido had no way of tracking him down in the Metaverse Goro would have been free to "build a case" to bring the Conspiracy down from the inside out. The thing about using someone to do your dirty work is that same person will know where all the bodies are buried thus giving them the ability to bring you down. Of course this is the exact same reason why Shido was going to kill him anyway, in this story Goro realized that sooner rather than later and chose the route that would keep him alive long enough to reach his goal.**

 **Personas Talking-I've always liked the idea of Personas possessing some level of sentience and actually talking to their owners. A while back I ran across a Persona 4 story that took the idea and ran hilariously away with it. For this story everyone's Personas are sentient and do possess the ability to communicate with their owners. Given the team's Personas are famous rogues and outlaws I always thought you could make some interesting and deep conversations.**

 **Robin Hood and Loki-The angel and devil, except Loki isn't really the devil, no, not even with the horns. I've seen a few different portrayals of them in other stories and some theories. While he is dark I wouldn't say Loki is Goro's "evil Persona", or at least he's not going to be in this story. Robin Hood's definitely the nicer of the two, but Loki does care about Goro in his own twisted way and can raise good points like he did this chapter. He's going to be just as vital as Robin Hood, specifically when Robin's too nice to say what has to be heard and Goro doesn't want to listen; you could almost say they're going to be going on a journey just as much as Goro. They both represent a side of Goro's heart he can throw away , but don't expect him to whole-heartedly embrace one over the other either.**

 **That does it for this chapter, next up is Sae's boss fight and where we find out what Goro's plan is, and if it works.**


	4. Chapter 3-Roll the Dice

**Here's Chapter Three, featuring the story's first Palace owner and the make it or break it point for the team.**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3-Roll the Dice**

 _ **November 14th, Courthouse...**_

"I still hate standing in front of this place." Ryuji grumbled shuffling his feet uncomfortable.

"Believe me, Ryuji, you're not the only one." Akira noted placing a calming hand on his shoulder."So, everyone know the plan?" Akira questioned looking at each member of his team. His eyes drifted over them one by one, each of them giving him an affirmative nod of approval. Makoto gave him the strongest nod, her eyes blazing with a determined fire he'd gotten used to seeing. He knew if push came to shove they'd have to drag her kicking and screaming if they had to retreat. Akira hoped things didn't come to that. Lastly was Goro, his eyes held a different kind of determination, and something else. _We're still walking on razor's edge, aren't we?_ Were his last thoughts before his fingers came down on the red and black app that distorted the world around them like a ripples in water. "Time to go big or go home." He mused taking the first steps forward with the other eight following closely behind him.

Nothing had changed within the Casino from their last visit despite their sending of the calling card. Rather it was overconfidence on Sae's part or her simply resigning herself to the inevitable showdown was up in the air. Neither choice made any of them feel any better as they collectively put one foot in front of the other ignoring the sounds of slot machines and coins clinging as they were spat out. The continued batter of the Palace's occupants made each of their stomachs rumble in discomfort; all those people partying like it was the time of their lives, and their lives were literally hanging by a thread.

"Still think it would be nice if we got to keep some of this money." Ryuji grumbled on their way to the elevator that would take them to Sae's floor.

"You know what they say about money, it'll corrupt your soul. Just like at what happened to Kaneshiro." Akira remarked throwing away a pile of poker chips he'd off handledly gathered up.

"Out of curiosity, Skull, what would you do with your money?" Goro questioned.

"Simple, he'd waste it on ramen or dumb exercise equipment." Morgana quipped.

"Yeah, and you'd have Akira' waste all yours on stupid tuna." The blond shot back kicking off another glaring match between the two.

"Guys," Makoto coughed causing both males to bow their heads in apology. "Save it for after we've stolen my sister's Treasure."

"I've actually been wondering about that." Ann said casting a look in the steel-masked girl's direction. "What do you think your sister's Treasure will be? For Haru's dad it was a plastic kit, for Kaneshiro it was a brief case full of fake money, and Kamoshida had his medal. Any guesses?"

Makoto's expression became withdrawn and her fists balled in instinctively. Goro had an idea of what Sae's Treasure would be. If it was what he thought it was then he couldn't blame Makoto for being so tight-lipped. "We'll see it when we find it." He stated casting a castaway glance in the younger girl's direction. It was short, but he she turned her head and shot him a quick appreciative smile.

The ride up was almost as silent as their slow track through the casino itself. During the long ride up everyone passed time by checking their weaponry. Every Palace ruler they'd encountered had came at them with everything they had, Okumura excluded. From a pink-skinned demon king in the nude to a giant sphinx with a human's head on it and more, "dungeon bosses" as Futaba so aptly called them made the entire exploration part of Palace infiltration seem small in comparison. Sae's Palace would be no different.

The doors slid up and a cool burst of air greeted the eight teenagers and humanoid-feline. One by one they followed out with Akira and Makoto at the forefront and the others closely behind them. Once they were all out the elevator door slid shut and dropped back down the shaft.

"Am I the only getting a bad feeling about this?" Ann stated looking around them. Out of instinct her hand went to her whip, an action that was mirrored by several of her teammates doing likewise.

An electric buzz caught the group's collective attention. Their heads to the large monitor directly in front of them. The make-up covered face of Sae Niijima stared back at them, a smug smile plastered over her face.

Feeling bold Goro was the first to speak up. "So, what kind of game will it be this time?"

A slowl chuckle left the Shadow's black lips as she titled her head on one of her gloved hands. "You're making a grave mistake if you think you have me cornered. I only guided you here because this place allows me to fight to my heart's content."

"Ah, I see, this place will allow you to cheat with impunity." Goro summarized.

Sae's calm facade slipped up her face twisted into a dark sneer aimed solely at Goro. "You know nothing!" She snapped, her eyes flashing a brighter shade of gold. "When my father died in the line of duty, I hated his killer from the bottom of my heart. Dying to uphold justice sounds virtuous, but the ones left behind have to clean up the mess! Do you have any idea what that feels like! How much hardship I had to endure to pick up the pieces he left behind?!" What started out as sorrow devolved into hateful rage. Her whole body seethed with a rage Goro and Makoto knew had been building for years.

Goro had seen Sae frustrated, he'd seen her angry, and he'd seen her in the midst of depression. He'd never seen her enraged to the point her voice was little more than booming thunder. _You've held it in this long, eh, Sae-san? It takes a toll on you, doesn't it?_ While he didn't like being the target of Sae's pent up wrath Goro knew at some point everyone had to let it out. He supposed he at least owed her that much for leading her on a year-long wild goose chase. Arching an eyebrow he stepped forward again, ignoring the warnings of his teammates. "So that's what all this is? That's your excuse for cheating at every possible turn so you can win? This is how you deal with your father's death, by indulging in the same kind of behavior he spent his life fighting against? I must say, I might have overestimated you, Sae-san."

As he'd predicted he'd hit a nerve, strike that, he'd hit a raw nerve. " _Shut up!_ " Her form destabilized and for a brief second the eight teenagers and their cat saw the true form of Leviathan-a dark imposing figure clad in dark gray armor that easily towered above any of them. A set of yellow mechanical eyes zeroed in on Goro like a pair of searchlights. "What would you know, the golden boy of the Tokyo Police department!? Mister Perfect! You're nothing but a spoiled brat who's had everything handed to you without having to lift a damn finger for any of it! Affection! Respect! Success! What would you know about having to work for any of those things!? _NOTHING!_ "

Akira's hand came down like a vice grip on his shoulder. His grip dug into him, wrapping chain after chain around him least he break free and go off. The others must have sensed something as he heard several gasps of breath. Goro knew his eyes had gone feral, Loki's sugary voice whispered words of pain and torture into his ear. Goro was tempted to listen even if it meant having to apologize to Makoto about brutalizing her sister's mental self.

"Still, this is wrong." Haru cried finally finding the courage to step up and speak. Behind her Makoto trembled with a mixture of anger, shock, and despair at seeing how far her sister had fallen. "Feeling vengeful about your father's death is one thing, but this is taking it too far! You're supposed to uphold the law! All you're doing is-"

"I'm doing what everyone around me does-win!" Sae snapped narrowing her eyes. "Justice cannot yield to evil, thus winning by any means is all that matters!"

With steely determination in his voice Akira picked up on that. "Following that logic, if we win does that mean you'll acknowledge our justice?"

A dark smile quickly replaced the sneer on Sae's face. Snapping her fingers turned on the silent machine the Phantoms had been standing on. Startled the nine looked around them in awe and worry as the colored tiles fell away and the floor rearranged itself to Sae's wishes. The circular arena grew in size right before them until the teenagers were little more than specks on what appeared to be a soccer field-sized roulette wheel. Overhead playing cards began to fall like rain littering the ground beneath them.

"Oh great, more poker." Ann sneered.

"You gotta admit, it definitely fits the theme." Futaba cracked already sensing something was wrong.

"A clash of brute strength is simply uncalled for on this stage." The Palace owner's voice rang forcing all of their attention back on a single point. There Shadow Sae stood in her gown looking completely at ease. "Here we won't decide things with blades, bullets, or fists, we'll leave it all up to chance."

"Like hell we are!" Ryuji roared taking three threatening steps forward, his _kanbo_ at the ready. "No more coins or playin' games! We're going to settle this the old fashion way!"

"Oh, that won't do at all. You see there's no room for negotiation." She continued still smiling like a viper. "This is my world, my rules, and everyone will follow, rather they like it or not." As with Goro her form destabilized, like a TV briefly losing its signal and its image becoming distorted. The same armored figure from before stared back at the nine Persona-users, the aura of malice still tainting the air around it.

All of the Phantom Thieves caught the brief effect. They all knew from personal experience they had just glimpsed the true form of the older Niijima's Shadow. None of them liked what they saw, but Makoto was a special case. Her red eyes stared at her older sister has if she were a completely different person, which at this point she might as well have been. Pain clouded her vision and shame overtook her forcing her head down.

Goro felt his eyes twitch as his gaze shifted between the two siblings. _I didn't ask to be put here. I always thought you were supposed to be better than this, that you could have been at least a little better than everyone else, including me._

 _ **Who would have thought we'd run into yet another black knight, unfortunately there can only be one. Goro, aren't you going to show her who the true black knight of this story is?**_ Loki cackled within his head.

Cold fire brimming in his eyes and his face set in a determined frown he placed a hand on Makoto's shoulder as Akira had done for and Ryuji earlier. "You'll save her, right?" Their gazes met and the determination within him passed into her. An affirmative nod followed as they all faced forward, ready for whatever Sae threw at them. "Sae-san, we'll let you have the first move. Ladies first."

An all too wide grin spread across the Shadow's face as the wheel began to spin around them. "Very well then, a game of roulette it shall be, and the stakes-our lives. Of course acts of violence are prohibited here, so of course that means no brute-force cheating."

From her position inside of Prometheus Futaba scuffed. "No brute-force cheating? So that means any other form of cheating goes right? We already told you, we're done following your damn rules!"

"Very well then, troublesome people such as yourself will simply have to face the pently." The silver-haired Shadow continued looking the team's leader in the eye.

Akira had already come up with a plan of action as all eyes fell upon him. He'd grown tired of playing these games, but he didn't want to imagine what this penalty would be if they refused. "Queen, Fox, buffs, everyone else guard yourselves. Anything comes your way you hit it back." The two did as he instructed without question, Queen increasing their defensive power with Marakukaja and Fox their speed with Masukukaja. His body felt the energy surge speeding through it as his gaze focused on Shadow Sae. "What do I do?" No sooner had he said the words did an ethereal roulette table appear before him.

"You will predict which pocket the ball will fall into. Choose where you will place your first bet!"

"You've got to be kidding me, there's no way we're playing this bullshit game!" Ryuji barked clenching his fists.

Goro quickly turned his eyes to the team's muscle. "Just hold it in for now, Skull. Once we catch her in the act then you can cut loose, just bear with it for a little longer."

Akira had chosen a low risk betting bracket with their money on the line. Instinctively they all flinched as the ball skipped about around them, happily passing over their desired red black slots. Finally the wheel came to a stop as did the ball. Bug-eyed they all stared in shock as the white ball settled into the red-colored pocket.

"Oh man, I knew this was bull, hey! My money!" Ryuji cried as an unvisible force ripped their accumulated wealth right from their pockets. Streams of coins and dollars flowed into Sae's hand where it all disappeared in a glamorous flash of red light. "You bitch." The blond snarled.

"Place your next bet." She requested still smiling.

Akira did so, only instead of money their life force was the wedger.

And they lost again.

Collective they all recoiled as crimson coils of vitality were torn from their bodies and absorbed into Shadow Sae. For all them the pain was momentary, they felt angry more than anything and it showed in their eyes. Seeing their opponent standing before them looking so smug and assured was more than enough to several of them to consider breaking Sae's supposed rule of no violence.

"Have you fingered anything out?" Morgana questioned scratching at his head. He really didn't want to see what three losses looked like if he could avoid it.

Akira directed his voice towards his team, making sure to keep it low enough so Sae wouldn't hear them. "There's a glass lid. Since this whole place is attuned to her will she can tell when the ball's going to stop, so she materializes a lid to make sure no matter what we lose either way."

"Quite the little trap, but it does show how determined she is win against us." Yusuke noted.

"What's all that chatter, certainly you aren't talking about cheating, are you?" Sae called looking smug over her two victories. "Need I remind you of the rules?"

"We know already! No cheating! You hypocritical, bitch." Realizing what she'd said Ann immediately shot an apologetic look Makoto's way.

For her part the brunette shrugged off the insult, she couldn't blame Ann for voicing her mind. "If that's the case then we need someone to snipe the glass lid, the best thing for us to do is catch sis in the act."

"Crow, you're up." Their eyes deadlocked in a silent battle of wills. Behind his mask he felt the brown-haired teen's eyes twitch. His mouth widened then shut before giving him a nod of acceptance. "We're going to need a distraction."

Beside him Ryuji grinned. "Fox, you game?"

"If it will even the playing field, gladly."

The biker-dressed thief wore a grin while his katana-wielding partner remained stone-faced, together they broke away from the group and charged Shadow Sae. Ryuji's _kanbo_ cackled with electric energy curtsy of Seiten Taisei as the area around Yusuke began to solidify into ice. Sae scuffed as the two boys struck in unison. Yusuke's sword came first, by the time Ryuji's weapon fell Sae had already avoided three attempted attacks, with a wave of her head she fended off the electrified metal weapon while watching Yusuke call upon his Ultimate Persona. Kamu Susano-o's blade flashed bright azure before he swung it towards her. What could only be described as a wall of razor-thin blue lines advanced towards Sae like a whirlwind. Again, the Shadow scuffed and held out her hand. The blue wall disappeared and the two teenage boys froze in mid air.

Ignoring the frantic calls of the others Sae focused her attention on the two teenagers now caught in her telekinetic grip. "I told you, not following the rules would get you punished, didn't I?" She barked.

"Well, you seem to be able to break them whenever the hell you want, we thought we might as well give it a true too, right, Fox?" Ryuji smiled attempting to force his body to move.

"Agreed, you set a bad example by setting up rules then breaking them when its convient for you." The blue-haired male admitted. Briefy he looked back over to the main group. Seeing Crow was missing he breathed out an invisible sigh of relief then braced himself for whatever punishment awaited him and Ryuji.

Called by the snap of her fingers jet-black chains encircled the two teens, contracting and squeezing them to the point their groans of pain resounded through the arena. With a flick of her wrist sent them screaming into the distance. A series of crashes followed.

"Fox! Skull!" Haru cried looked absolutely horrified.

"I warned you all that cheating would have you face a penalty." Sae shrugged as the remaining six cast their glares on her. She hadn't seemed to notice the red-beaked newcomer of the team was missing, or at least she didn't care. "Now, let us begin round three, maybe this time your luck will change."

"Oh I have a feeling it will." The red-gloved teen grinned.

Akira's voice was so calm and assured Goro wanted to laugh, if he did then he would have given himself away. They were lucky Sae hadn't noticed them, Ryuji and Yusuke's distraction had paid off. He visibly winced when he heard the echoing crash that signaled both boys making contact with the ground. Though they'd been through worse being turned into human baseballs wasn't fun, less so when they were chained and bound unable to call upon their Personas to save them.

From his vintage point behind one of the vases surrounding the roulette wheel he watched the ball skip through pocket after pocket. It was faint at first, but he eventually caught the light reflected off of the glass lid Akira had mentioned. His former target had chosen a high-risk pull, a move Sae had gladly congratulated him on making. It didn't surprise him that the two of them were getting along, deep down at heart both Akira and Sae had a gamblers' spirit. And deep down both of them knew some level of cheating was required if one expected to win when it mattered. _Fair and square, that's what you kept saying. Well, does our cheating to counter your cheating count as keeping things fair?_ The teenage assassin thought seconds before his finger squeezed the trigger of his pistol and a green burst of energy shot out. Traveling at the speed of light it shattered the glass lid preventing the ball from landing in the red-colored pocket that Akira had bet on. A small spring of pride rose up inside of him as the words "winner" lit up on their side as Sae's cool facade crumbled away. All the money she'd stolen from the group was ripped away and returned to Akira and the others, that and more since he'd chosen to go big.

Down below he caught the black-haired teenager shoot him a grateful smile. Goro felt his lips curve upwards to return the gesture but held back. Still hiding in the shadows he watched as Akira, Morgana, Ann, Makoto, and Haru all trained their firearms on Sae's downed form putting her in a hold up. In his ear Futaba's furious chastising of Sae's antics were almost like music to his ears.

Sae's response wasn't entirely unexpected.

Black liquid welled up from around completely consuming Sae. The uncomfortable wrinkle Goro had felt in his stomach unfolded as the darkness fell away to reveal an eight-foot hulking mass of black, spiked armor that was Leviathan. The entire right arm had been replaced by a trinity of firearms: a Gatling gun, a missile pod, and a long gun barrel, all of which were rusted blood-red. In the left hand Shadow Sae held a rusted and bloodied sword almost as tall as Goro was. From behind her dark helmet Sae's signature gray hair unfolded outwards in a wild mass that almost stretched down to her back. Throwing her head back the sound she made reminded Goro more of a wild beast than it did any human.

Makoto was in shock. A brief glimpse was one thing, but seeing it upfront was more than enough to throw her for a loop. Goro didn't blame her for being horrified and possibly disappointed in her sister. Sae's enraged screams as she raised her blade was his cue to act. "Everyone, back away!" He shouted ordering Robin Hood to open fire on the monstrous knight. Akira grabbed Makoto and fell back as Sae swung herself over to face him, finally realizing he'd gone missing. Raising her right hand she fired a three-foot shell directly at his incoming arrow. The colliding projectiles canceled each other resulting an explosive light show between Goro and his opponent. He didn't need Robin Hood to tell him to run, his combat instincts had him pounding away at the floor seconds before the sound of Sae's Gatling gun roared to life. The various vases around the wheel shattered like fine china, even the fragments weren't spared by the restless assault. Goro kept his eyes forward as he ran knowing full well if he tripped up death would be far from painless. He supposed now that Sae had shown her true form she was letting out all the pent up anger. His ears popped as he heard what could only have been described as a tank shell being fired. Fear racing through him he sprinted faster down the circle hoping he'd at least be able to outrun the explosive blast that followed.

Beneath him the ground shook as the shell made contact nearly knocking him off his feet. His moment of disorientation was what Sae needed as he heard her weapon cock itself. Summoning Robin Hood he ordered the archer to take aim at the black knight, but stopped as he found the other Phantom Thieves had acted while Sae had been focused on him.

Both of Hecate's living dog-ended chains had coiled around Shadow Sae, one around the barrel of her gun, and the other around her left foot. A stream of profanities exploded from her as she fought against the iron bindings. Before her stood Akira, his hand placed across his flame-covered face. Behind him the brawny figure of the Norse god of thunder manifested. Thor's hammer rose and fell completely driving Sae into the ground seconds before a collection of lightning bolts rained down on top of her. The prosecutor's agony-filled screams did nothing to sooth Goro's racing heart. When Thor pulled back Sae rose now angling her gun at the assembled team. A shadow crossed the distance between them in the blink of an eye. A loud _kink!_ sounded before anyone realized the black blur was in fact Akira. One of his knives had been impaled in the patchwork of firearms that was Sae's right arm while his left hand drove a second knife deep into her armor.

"Fire in the hole!" He shouted at all his teammates seconds before rolling out of the way.

Haru leveled her grenade launcher and squeezed the trigger while Ann did the same with her machine gun and Morgana with his slingshot. Goro didn't even bother with his laser pistol. Robin Hood let loose with another one of his arrows, it being the fastest of all the projectiles.

Blue and red fire erupted from the spot where Sae stood as all the attacks impacted within seconds of each other. The roulette gained several wide cracks that concealed the sound of Sae's armor breaking and bending under the scorching heat of the explosion. Goro wanted to believe that would have been enough to stop Sae, but he knew better. She was playing for keeps just like he was.

"Die! Die! Die! Die!" Like a vengeful spirit Sae's distorted form emerged from the fire, her butcher blade-like sword humming with violet energy. Her yellow eyes flashed gold before the sword was swung in several different directions, each one propelling a purple-colored crescent-shaped mass of energy. Within seconds they carved up the already broken roulette wheel arena. None of them managed to hit any of the teenagers, but it had put them on the defensive.

Recovering his wits Morgana summoned Zorro and sent him forward to meet the black knight sword-to-sword. The resulting clash battered the remaining combatants with a gale-like blast. Sae grunted then shrugged off the spiritual entity before pointing her gun barrel at the black-masked Persona. Before the trigger could be pulled Haru and Akira struck in unison. Haru's axe and Akira's knives dug in deep enough to damage Sae, forcing her to her knees. Taking the chance Zorro struck her across the face before demateralizing.

Hopping down from the rim of the arena Goro saw Makoto still standing in her original position. "Queen!" Their eyes locked again and Goro saw that same fire from before in Makoto's eyes, only it was dwindling. "You're going to save her, aren't you!"

A moment later and the younger Niijima drew her fist back, Johanna channeling atomic energy into her fists before she took off running towards her sister. Screaming the war cry they all had come to know and somewhat fear Shujin's Student Council President slammed her spiked fist directly into her older sister's helmeted face. Light flashed for a second before the explosion came, knocking Sae backwards as if she'd been shot from a catapult. She disappeared over the rim of the arena much in the same way Ryuji and Yusuke had done so earlier to buy them time. The five teenagers and their feline friend could hear the ground being torn apart as Sae skidded across the floor like a soccer ball.

"You...you think she'll remember that once we steal her Treasure?" Makoto asked somewhat worried. This was the first time she'd ever struck her sister, even if it was only a mental projection, the emotional shock of it was still enough to chill her blood.

"If we live through this you can say you were acting in self-defense." Akira waved off. He knew the battle was far from over, and they were going to have to go the extra mile if they wanted to knock Sae down for the count. To do that they'd need some heavy firepower. "Mona, take Noir and go get Skull and Fox. Heal them up and get them back here."

"What? But you need us here!" Morgana shouted feeling slighted at being left out of such a major fight.

Akira turned back to his living company with a smile tugging at his lips. "Don't worry, we, and she, will still be here once you guys get back. Just don't waste too much time."

Seeing his reasoning and that there was no way to counter his argument Morgana transformed into his van form. Haru looked to each othem, asking them all to be careful before slamming the door shut and speeding off to go fetch their two teammates.

"Heads up everyone! She's building up energy again!" Futaba warned.

Piercing the roof a beam of purple light came down on what they all knew must have been Sae's sword. The gray-haired woman's enraged scream heralded the giant energy beam that rocketed their way.

"Sword beams? Really?" Ann shouted.

"You know what they saw, if the sword fits!" The black-haired leader laughed before joining her in moving aside.

In one move the roulette wheel split apart as easily as a sheet of paper cut by scissors. Even after that it continued onwards destroying everything in its path. The teens didn't dwell on it long as Sae's war cry alerted them to their front. Several white and violet-colored orbs floated around Sae. Pointing her gun arm forward the orbs erupted into numerous beams of energy that sped towards them.

Arsene, Johanna, Hecate, and Robin Hood materialized before her . Blasts of darkness, atomic energy, fire, and light sprung forth from them colliding with the divine energy of the Megidola. The numerous energy beams pushed against each other like angry bulls before pooling together into a blinding explosion that shook the ground like a bell.

"Hecate!"

Through the mutlicolored smoke Sae saw the twin dog-headed chains zooming towards her, embers slipping from their open maws. "I'm not falling for that trick again!" In one swipe the chains were severed, the broken ends dispersing into black and red flames that quickly faded away into nothing. Angling her arm she fired off every rocket in her missile pod. Howling with glee she watched another the set of rockets speed towards her defenseless opponents hoping there'd be nothing left of them once the dust settled.

Blowing away the smoke and ash was the blazing silver form of Johanna, her master strewn atop her looking more determined than ever. Frowning deeply she floored the throttle turning from a human on a bike into a silver bullet of atomic energy.

"Fine then, bring it on! You want a clash of brute strength, I'll give it to you!" She thundered raising her over-sized sword high. The blade cast an unholy glow over the knight's dark form that sharply contrasted to the almost heavenly illumination of her sister.

Hitting the breaks while turning Makoto threw the accumulated energy forward as if she were throwing a softball. There was barely five feet of distance between her and Sae meaning the energy didn't have to travel far. Sae didn't see it coming as evident by her startled cry as the nuclear fire slammed into her before she could response to her sister's feint. The Freidyne spell carried her far just as her earlier attack did, granted her recovery was faster. Getting back up she looked at Makoto with a glare promising to return the pain she'd inflicted ten folds. It would have to wait as a dragon's roar brought her attention to the right where a blue serpentine dragon hovered above the white-masked Joker. A massive chunk of ice materialized within the dragon's jaw then it was launched at Sae with the speed of a bullet. Raising her right arm Sae countered the Bufudyne spell with a single artillery shell. As she scanned the surrounding area for her next opponent Sae felt a sudden seizure rack her body. Her strength left her causing her posture to falter.

"Akechi!" She boomed firing at everything around her knowing it was the effect of the red-masked teenager. "Come out and face me like a man!"

"Why should I when you've neglected to face me and my compatriots fair and square? The way I see it this is only fitting!" His cheery voice called back further enraging her.

Dozens of bright purple orbs appeared around Sae. At her command they all erupted into gleaming white energy beams that exploded outwards. Everything around Sae went up in smoke and white fire. Thunder boomed throughout the casino floor as Sae's heavy breathing pattered out. Thick pillars of smoke rose up forming a wall around her cutting the Shadow off from the rest of the world. She didn't know or cared if she'd hit her target, all that mattered now was it was blissfully silent. At least it was until she heard the sound of dogs barking. Her sword raised high she swung backwards to intercept the two incoming chains. The twin chains were knocked off course while the smoke was blown away. To Sae's shock where she expected to find Panther there was nothing there. Narrowing her eyes Sae took a single step back suddenly realizing she'd lost track of all four teenagers. As the smoke faded away she found herself almost completely alone amongst the deserted ruins of the casino. "You're nothing but a bunch of cowering brats!"

"Big words coming from someone who has to cheat to get ahead!" Panther's voice barked back.

Somewhere to her right she heard a bow string followed by the whistling of an arrow. Snapping to attention she fired off another set of missiles in the direction of the sound. The golden glow of the arrow vanished in a fiery explosion as the others zoomed in on their target. A bestial growl left the Shadow's jaws as another pillar of fire and smoke rose up. It was promptly cut off by the sound of tires screeching against the floor. A silver flash caught Sae's attention, within seconds Makoto was closing in on her. Slamming her sword down she unleashed several invisible blasts of air that sent her sister back down to the ground, dazed and confused.

 _ **THUNK!**_

The black knight's triumph was short lived, the second dog-faced chain clapped down on her neck just as the first had done to her left wrist. Her metallic armor quickly turned bright red as monstrous amounts of heat were funneled through the fangs and directly into her. Growling like a wild beast Sae attempted to raise her gun arm only to find it too had been immobilized. Through the haze of rage and pain she was able to make out four figures to her right: Akechi, Panther, and their Personas. Robin Hood had wrapped one of his giant palms around Panther's whip adding his supernatural strength to the hold while Hecate held her down. All six of the goddess' multicolored eyes looked at Sae with absolute contempt. It made Sae's blood boil and made her struggle even harder.

Looking ahead she saw Joker helping up Makoto. Thor stood behind the pair, his hammer raised. A red glow fell over the brunette as she leaned over Johanna. "Your sister wants a word with you!"

There was no hesitation as Makoto charged her older sister as full speed. Seeing the determined look in her eyes angered Sae, it made her feel smaller and weaker than she'd ever felt. They made her struggle against the chains like a raging beast, her animalistic howling not at all helping matters. The closer Makoto got the hotter the air around Sae became.

"There's no way in hell I'm going to lose, not to you! Not to anyone!" Sae screamed as her golden eyes burned like unholy suns. Slamming the tip of her sword down she sent a wave of malicious energy towards her sister. The ground beneath Johanna split open and erupted in purple fire forcing Makoto to jump off. She'd kicked off with enough speed and force to propel herself towards her sister, her right fist reeled back. Locking eyes the sisters knew at this point there was no going back. That thought in mind Sae swung her gun arm outwards, catching her sister right in her the left side abdomen. Something cracked, which was music to Sae's ears. Makoto skidded across the ground clenching her side while blood slipped through her lips. Not wasting a moment Sae rushed over, the tip of her sword skidding across the ground. "I told you, I'll win no matter what it takes or who I'm up against!" She yelled raising the rusted blade up then bringing it down.

Instead of flesh what the blood-stained blade hit was energy, green pulsating energy that bent under the weight of the black knight yet refused to break. Snarling Sae turned to the right to find Goro had extended his laser blade almost a full ten feet; both his hands were fastened to the hilt to keep Sae at bay. "Winning no matter what, does that include murdering your own sister?!" He shouted. For the first time Sae actually thought he sounded...angry. "Killing us is one thing, but that's your sister over there!" Gnashing his teeth he forced Sae's sword upwards before rushing in. Their blades met in repeated clashes of orange and emerald sparks. "She's the last living family you have left, and you'll kill her just so you can win?!"

"I already told you! No matter who is or what it is, I'll win! That's all that matters in the end!" The silver-haired woman screamed back. "In this world winning is all that matters, as long as you're victorious, who cares about the cost it takes!"

Having just dodged a vertical slash he was in the perfect position to counter attack; it wasn't combat instinct that fueled the move though, it was something else-something fiery and wild. Dropping down to both his palms he shoved his feet directly into her cheek hoping she'd feel the impact reverberate through her skull. As Sae stumbled backwards he rebounded onto his feet, his Quasar Saber ablaze with energy. Moving like the wind he dragged the energy-composed weapon across Sae's stomach leaving a smoking hot gash that nearly brought her to her knees. He would have gone in for another if her gun arm hadn't raised and ended up less than five feet from him.

"Coming through!"

Simultaneously the two turned their heads to see a black and yellow-stripped van heading straight for them. Goro acted faster and jumped aside while his wayward partner leveled her gun barrel at the advancing vehicle. A boom of thunder and an artillery shell was zooming towards it. A poof of white smoke followed.

"My fuuuuurrr!" Morgana screeched as the shell passed barely an inch above him, superheating and even searing his prized black fur. Haru caught the feline as she and Yusuke hit the ground rolling while Ryuji came down upon Sae, his club raised high.

"I've been waiting to do this since we got here!" The punk roared bringing his weapon down atop of Sae's cleaver sword. "Seiten!" Appearing behind him the monkey king hefted his staff above his head. The weapon grew three times its size as he brought it downwards.

Sae felt like both her arms were about to give out, her entire body roared in pain at having what felt like an entire building dropped on top of her. Through sheer force of will she powered through it, grunted and snarling as she slowly pushed the two off her. A flash of blue and silver caught her eye a little to her left. The fox-masked swordsman was surging towards her, his body low and his hand on the hilt of his weapon. Right in front of Sae a baseball-sized purple orb of energy appeared, white lightning cackling around it.

"Fox, Skull, break off!"

The order came too late as the tiny ball of holy energy exploded outwards pushing the blue and white-clad swordsman back while Sae at least knocked away the Phantom Thieves' strongman. Her victory was short lived as from behind her Haru summoned Milady to unleash a maelstrom of gunfire upon her. Throwing up her sword as a shield Sae returned fire forcing the brunette to run for cover. "You brats want to play, fine then, I'll play!" Following a quick crouch the black knight disappeared in a upwards jump where she seemingly disappeared into the darkness of the high rise ceiling.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me!" Skull barked wiping some of the blood from his lips. "How the hell can she jump that-"

"Take cover!" The orange-haired hacker screamed.

Seconds later and a volley of bullets, rockets, and artillery shells fell over the casino flower like a ran of military fire. Debris and fire was blasted upwards amidst the firestorm while the Phantom Thieves scrambled to get to cover. Summoning their Personas the teenagers hoped to wait out the the storm, but Sae had other ideas.

Upon seeing the numerous purple orbs Akira cursed. "Ya' know, I'm really getting tired of that attack."

Countless violet beams bombarded the ground like meteorites. Against the power of the Megidola even the groups' Personas began to give as several of them winced and groaned upon the shared pain. All around them the world went up in torrents of red and white, even their sense of hearing becoming lost due to the booming explosions around them.

Akira felt a cold chill run up his spine. Having gotten used to that feeling he acted before logic could detact otherwise. Behind him a giant rusted blade came down, cutting into the ground and taking a few pieces of his coat with it.

Pushing through the smoke the twisted form of Shadow Sae appeared mere inches from her. "Joker!" Her great sword raised itself and came down.

 _ **CLANK!**_

The black-haired teen felt his arms groan in agony, but it was proof he was still alive at least. As Sae's sword came around again he raised his right he reacted with his arm, his silver knife meeting her rust-colored blade. She came at him again from overhead forcing him to parry with both knives. It was a deadly dance he'd gotten used to, one mistake or misstep and he was dead. Akira always found a strange sort of thrill dancing with death.

From the right came a red-tipped missile flew towards Sae with the speed and precision of an arrow. Akira threw up his hands as the explosion knocked him backwards, slightly searing his coat and stinging his skin. Staggering out of the flames and smoke Sae swung her weapon towards Haru, but the axe-wielding heiress has given the order. Each one of Milady's weapons thundered in succession forcing Sae to her knees.

"Used up all your strength earlier one, didn't ya?" Futaba taunted from the safety of Promethus. "Everyone, hit her while she's down!"

Bursts of red and green engulfed each thief while Sae roared and raged under the the pressure of Haru's assault. Once the last shell was fired she fell back allowing Sae a moment of reprieve. The black knight's body was broken and burnt in numerous places with cracks and holes in her armor. From her right came Kamu-Susano-o's sword and to her left came Johanna. Sparks exploded from the latter's front wheel colliding with her rusty blade while her right gun arm howled as ice began to bite away at the dark-colored metal. For a fraction of a second both supernatural beings pressed inwards, but Sae summoned the strength to force them back despite the enormous strain it put on her body. Directly ahead of her Zorro reappeared, an emerald-colored whirlwind swirling around him. Hecate touted over next to him. Holding one finger out a small spark appeared at the end. Sae could do nothing but brace for impact as Zorro unleashed a mighty whirlwind in union with Hecate firing a monstrous fireball directly at her. At the last second Kamu Susano-o and Johanna broke off giving Sae a split second to raise her guard. it didn't help but as the fireball impacted first, then grew in size as the whirlwind slammed into her with the force of a bullet train. The Shadow's scream reverberated throughout the casino as once again the monstrous knight disappeared amidst a storm of red-hot flames.

"Fox!" Joker cried calling upon King Frost.

Though Kamu-Susano-o raised his sword up in preparation for the combined Bufuydne he never got the chance to activate it. Bursting through the flames like a demon Shadow Sae was upon Yusuke. His surprise was momentary, unsheathing his sword he met the oncoming swing. Yusuke felt every bone in his body, but especially those in his arms, scream in protest as the kinetic energy traveled from Sa's sword into him. For a moment he faltered, and that moment was all his opponent needed. A swift sideways kick caught him off guard and sent him rolling across the ground, his arms still ringing from earlier.

Turning on her heels Sae took off towards Joker, once more scrapping her sword along the ground. Morgana jumped in front of the black-clad teen and sent Zorro out to intercept her. Drawing his sword back the black-masked Persona prepared for another clash of blades between him and the monster knight that was Leviathan. Similar to Makoto Sae aimed her gun arm at the ground and fired kicking ash and smoke into the air blinding all of them.

"Joker, on your six!" Futaba cried in horror.

Spinning on the tips of his feet he called forth Arsene, dark energy already gathering in his palms. A flash of blue and white blindsided him before he could give the order. Robin Hood's left fist collided with Sae's face, jamming her right arm directly into the British hero's stomach she roared and fired off shell after shell into the ethereal being.

"Crow!" Several heads turned back to see the red-masked teenager had fallen to his knees, blood falling from his lips. His eyes resembled flaming torches with their intensity and brightness. Forcing himself up to his feet he threw out his hand, commanding his spiritual counterpart to continue his attack.

Dismissing his bow the caped-Persona began throwing punch after punch at the Palace ruler. Sae rammed her spiked right knee into his gut momentarily stopping the assault. "You wanna play the hero? Then die like one!"

 _ **SLISH!**_

Robin Hood dispersed into blue flames as his owner gripped his left side shoulder. Hot anger bloomed inside of Ryuji seeing the damage done to his teammates leading him to another headlong charge. Rather than aim directly at him Sae jammed the butt of her gun barrel into the ground and fired. The ground in front of her crumbled and broke apart while tremors rippled along the ground. Ryuji stumbled and fell face first into the sea of cracks. His teammates cried out for him but he knew another attack was coming, he could hear it. A handful of missiles slammed into the skull-masked teen completely eneveloping him in a red conflageration.

"This is my world!" Sae roared lumbering towards them, the glow of the nearby inferno casting a blood-red glow upon her demonic helmeted face. "If anyone's going to win here, then it's going to be me!"

"Wrong, you full metal bitch!"

Blowing away the flames was the red and gold-tipped staff wielded by the Monkey King himself. Parts of Ryuji's leader jacket had been seared, but for the most part he was unharmed. "Eat this!" Supersizing his beloved staff the mohawk-haired Persona swung his weapon towards Sae intending to catch her int the face. Instead of her face the staff met her sword leaving the two once again deadlocked. At least until Sae angled her free gun arm Ryuji's way causing the teenager to flinch. The flash of the muzzle never came. Cracking one eye open he saw a living dog head had coiled around Sae's neck, an array of yellow and orange flames flowing outwards searing half of the knight's face.

"You really need to learn how to play it cool!" Ann snapped looking him over.

"S-Sorry." He muttered before refocusing on keeping Sae deadlocked.

"I think it's about time we did something about that cannon." Joker noted watching the struggle with narrow eyes. "Noir, how close do you think you can get?"

"Close enough she'll never know what hit her." Haru replied hefting her battle axe.

"Then get going. Panther, Skull, heads up!" Switching out Arsene for Odin Akira commanded the one-eyed god to call down a single bolt of supercharged thunder. Storm clouds gathered above Sae's head before a single great bolt descended downwards. To Akira's surprise a single purple and white orb appeared above Sae's head. The following blast pushed against the lightning bolt in a contest of strength that took all his concentration to maintain. "Dammit, Queen, you're sister's almost as tough as you are!"

Ryuji and Ann fell back allowing Sae to duck out of the incoming lightning bolt. Rushing through the smoke Haru stayed low to the ground, never once letting her axe touch the floor. In what must have been seconds she was before Shadow Sae, her axe cackling with psychic energy courtesy of Milady.

"I WON'T LOSE HERE! I REFUSE!"

None of them saw the explosive wave of darkness coming. Haru cried out in alarm as she was thrown backwards and caught by Ryuji who shielded her body against the violent winds that sprung forth. Screaming with more fury and wrath than ever before Sae's already distorted form began to grow, the holes and cracks in her armor becoming filled with dark liquid. Her golden eyes burned with hateful fire as her hair sprayed outwards as if it possessed a life of its own along with gaining a red glow.

"Desperation," Goro stated having caught his breath and standing back up. All eyes were on him as he walked forward until he was side by side with his former target. "On the positive side, she's on her last legs."

"But that means she's going to fight even harder." Futaba finished for him.

"Exactly. She's twice as dangerous as she was before."

"Then it's time we finished this." Joker spoke reaching into his coat and pulling out a set of kunai-like knives. Tied to the ends where yellow-colored jewels that cackled with electrical light. "Fox, Queen, Noir, and Mona, distract her, Crow and Panther, you two take up a snipping positions to cover them. Oracle, buff me and Skull."

"Ohhhh, so you're going to give that a try huh?" Futaba leered. Everyone could practically see the grin on her face just by listening to her.

"Give what a try? What are those?" Noir questioned pointing at the knives."

"Just a little something I've been working on, you have your orders team! Go!"

Everyone did as instructed without hesitation. The prospect of defeat had turned Sae from a fierce fighter into a berserk animal lashing out at anything that came around her. Whenever she swung her blood-stained blade the air around her seemingly distorted and warped making it harder for the four Persona-users to get in closer. Even when it wasn't the sword invisible pulses of air smacked against them when they weren't looking close enough. Yards away Robin Hood's arrows and Ann's continued machine gun fire kept Sae from dealing the final blow whenever one of her adversaries went down. The back-to-back attacks did their job in keeping her occupied, never did she notice any of the thrown knives embedding themselves in her or the watching eyes of the Phantom Thieves' leader. Little by little the remaining slot machines and poker tables were destroyed through various means scattering debris everywhere. Sawdust and smoke polluted the once clean air slightly stinging the noises of the teenagers. Bit by bit each of them were beginning to reach their breaking point as the battle dragged on.

It was Akira's final knife striking her in the side of the head that finally alerted Sae to the leader's absence. Snarling as she turned to face him she ended up blinded by Haru's axe leaving a deep gash across her face. The three teens and their feline company broke off as the knight began charging head first towards the sixteen year-old male.

Beside him stood Ryuji, and behind the two of them hovered the Norse god of thunder and Monkey King himself. The two held their fists out then slammed them down in unison giving the order to their Personas to attack.

The first bolt of lightning created a chain reaction amongst the dozens of knives embedded within Sae's body. The bright yellow orbs at the end of their hilts all exploded at once releasing countless tendrils of lightning that snaked across her body. Dozens more lightning bolts rained down upon the malformed knight completely halting her in her tracks and drowning out her corresponding screams. Just barely Akira and Ryuji saw her struggling to move through the lightning thus poured more energy into their attacks. The ground beneath Sae shattered like glass as the pillar of lightning grew brighter and brighter.

Makoto never took her eyes off the attack. Her entire body was shaking with fear over what would be left when her teammates' attack ended. A part of her wanted to scream for them to stop, but she knew better. One way or another the only way to end this was to knock her sister down, and that had proved more difficult than she'd imagined. Seconds ticked by and the pillar of lightning dispersed revealing a charred and broken form of Leviathan. "S-Sis," Makoto whimpered seeing the sorry state of her sister's Shadow. This had to be it.

"I...I...I won't...I can't...I've..." Her voice was heavy and haggard confirming this was her last breath. Every step she took her legs wobbled giving the impression they'd give out any second. Across from Sae her sister hoped that was the case. "Aft..er...everything I've...done...I can't...I...I-!"The patchwork of firearms that had been Sae's right arm shattered into dozens of pieces that scattered across the ground. It was the final push needed as the over-sized sword fell from the Shadow's left hand and her knees finally gave out. Sae hit the floor cheek-first, smoke still coiling off of her scorched body.

Shooting Makoto a sideways look Goro spoke to her in an even tone, "Now's your chance." His eyes glassy and his face cold he watched the younger Niijima hurry off to her sister. Once she got there Sae's Shadow form returned to normal at least allowing them to talk to each other face to face. The rest of the team backed off seeing the two sisters needed their space. Ryuji and Yusuke excused themselves stating they were going to go pick up the Treasure.

 _ **Gotta say, I actually found her pretty attractive when she went all Resident Evil on us.**_ Loki chimed in.

 _ **Goro, are you still able to move?**_ Robin Hood asked.

 _Relax, it's not like I'm about to black out from the pain. Sae-san was strong, but not enough to cause me that much damage._ The brown-haired teen responded. Casting a look over at the Niijima sisters he felt an uncomfortable ripple in his stomach. _I just made it through the easy part. Though_ attuned to his mental conversation he heard Futaba warning them all that the Shadows were spawning in mass. What none of them knew was in addition to the Shadows swarms of police were amassing outside the court house. He'd tipped off the police, and for the Shadows, well, Shido said he'd taken care of that part on his end. The stage was officially set. "Queen, take the others and get out, Joker and I will stay here and throw them off the trail."

His words were the final nail in the coffin. All at once everyone turned to him and Akira, their expressions unreadable. Makoto looked between the two of them, her eyes lingering on Akira. The black-haired teen gave her and everyone else a short nod signaling his approval.

"You two know where to meet us, right?" She asked.

"Yep, just make sure everyone's there. I'd like to say after this we can call it a night, but-"

"I'll explain everything once we get back." Goro cut off.

"Alright, just...both of you...don't do anything stupid." The brunette ordered before she and the others took off in the opposite direction leaving the two of them alone in the ruins of the casino. Above their heads alarms had begun blarring nearly blowing out the boys' eardrums.

"So, mind telling me what this master plan of yours is?" Akira finally said.

"Take me down the escape route you had planned, I'll tell you when to stop."

Together they off, heavy silence filling the void between them. Around corners and through air vents they snuck, taking care to avoid the security guards moving from one area to the next in search of them. Futaba chimed back in their ears every now and then to give them directions and warn them off when their path was blocked. Even with the threat of capture looming over them by the second neither of them felt fear or worry stall their movements. Calm, as disturbing as it was the two teenagers felt a strange sense of serenity traversing the maze of corridors and hallways.

Rounding one last corner they came upon the final hallway that lead to the outside. "Wait." Goro voiced stopping Akira in his tracks. "I have the gust of it now."

"There's a swarm of cops waiting for me on the outside, isn't there?"

"Yes, but those officers are going to have to stomach disappointment tonight. Face me." Standing before right before him Goro knew this was his last chance to back out, to go through on his original plan and rid himself of the enigmatic trickster once and for all. Yet, as he stood before him, eyes focused and body at the ready, Goro couldn't find it in himself to act. _Loki,_

 _ **You rang, Master?**_

Sensing something amiss Akira took a step back. He wasn't quite sure what to expect when Goro said he had a plan, but him seemingly summoning another Persona was most definitely not in the mix. With his mouth shut but eyes wide he watched as a lanky monochromatic form of Loki arose from behind Goro, the flames surrounding him briefly flashing red instead of azure. Upon first glance Akira realized rather disturbingly Goro's second Persona had no eyes, where there were supposed to be eyes there were only horns that curved upwards. He wasn't sure why, but there was something about that which he found a little unsettling.

 _ **Ah, Loki.**_ The gentleman voice of Arsene laughed from behind the dark-haired male. Without warning the red-clad thief appeared behind his master, a wicked smirk plastered across his face. _**I knew there was something off about this boy, something a little...mischievous about him that I just couldn't put my finger on.**_

 _ **Arsene, c'est un plaisir!**_ The horned god cackled taking a mock bow much to Goro's annoyance. _**I'd love to stay and chit chat, but I'm afraid time is short.**_ Turning his head back to Akira Loki grinned showing the younger boy his blood-red teeth, all pointed and sharp like that of a feral beast. _**Do please enjoy the show, Joker.**_

There was a snap then Akira felt a hot gust of wind that made him break out in a sweat. A second later and he became aware they weren't alone. Turning to his right he was shocked to find they'd been joined by...himself. Briefly taking off his mask and rubbing his eyes to double check he let the surprise show as he watched a lookalike resembling him in every way flash him a cocky smirk then speed off down the hallway on his original path. "How did you..." The words died in his throat as he turned back to Goro to find a second doppelganger had joined them. It too gave him a cocky smile before running off in the opposite direction, disappearing into the maze of hallways they'd previously passed through. Seeing they were alone once more Akira turned back to face Goro, who'd crossed both his arms and was giving him something close to a pout. Without warning the younger of the two burst into a fit of laughter.

Goro's pout turned into an outright sneer. "If you still get caught after all this I'm not busting you out."

"N-No, i-it's just, I get it now, the magic trick." Standing up the real Joker flashed his new ally a devilish smile. "I see why you chose the nickname Crow, it actually does kind of suit you."

"Hey, what the hell's going on?" Futaba snapped through their comms. It was clear she'd been following their every move and Goro's recent magic trick had caught her off guard just as much as it had Akira. "J-Joker, you, uh, you didn't gain the ability to make shadow clones when I wasn't looking, did you?"

"No Oracle, it just turns out Crow had some secret skills he'd been hiding from the rest of us." He casually answered. "The decoys should be enough to keep the guards distracted, can you find us another way out?"

"Yep, just stay quiet and don't cause much a scene."

A mutual nod preceded the two following the orange haired girl's instructions. The occasional stray transmission from the guards would cut in reassuring the boys their ruse was working. Breaking the silence was the occasional wince that came when Goro felt one of the doppelgangers had been caught and dispelled, the first one was the one he'd sent backwards, the other was still leading the police on a wild goose chase throughout the rooftops; that was good, it meant they had more time to escape.

"Alright boys, take this next right and you're free to bug out. After that we'll see you two back at Leblanc."

Using his arm Goro pushed the final door open, before them lay a deserted street way. "I didn't do this for you."

"I didn't expect you to."

"And I didn't do this for them either."

"Keep telling yourself that."

Pressing the icons on their phones caused the world around them to blur and distort. The shift was short and sudden. In the same breath they'd inhaled the cool night air of the real world. Their thief outfits melted away into their school uniforms, a little wrinkled and worn, but none the worse for wear. Looking themselves over for any unseen wounds or scratches all they found were slight aches in their bodies from their battle with Sae's shadow. Distantly they could hear the sirens of police cars and shouting signaling they'd only narrowly escaped capture.

"Let's get going. After getting the slip they're going to turn the entire city block upside down looking for you." Goro stated already moving forward with Akira close behind. It would be a long and quiet walk back to Leblanc, something he was actually grateful for. Akira had given him an olive branch despite everything he'd done and had been rather calm. He knew for a fact the others wouldn't be nearly so forgiving, especially Haru. At least this gave him some time to think about what to say.

Sneaking through the back alleys and sidewalks didn't bother Akira, and apparently Goro didn't see any shame in it either. His face remained a flat and cold as a stone making it hard to discern what he was thinking. After a quick breath Akira decided he had to break the ice. "Thank you."

"Don't, just don't. I had a perfectly laid out plan I could have gone with, and I just threw it out the window because of you." Just like at the fishing pond his words had an edge to them. "This doesn't make us friends or buddies, it makes us-"

"Continued partners in crime." Stopping in their tracks the two boys faced each other. The frigid glares they exchanged would have been cold enough to freeze water. _I'll wait until we get to Leblanc to tell him, I don't feel like arguing with him tonight._ Something told him even with the fight behind them it was going to be a long night. "You don't have to put on this tough guy act, ya' know."

"I do, for all I know you could sale me out to Shido or the police any time you want."

"Didn't you say you were going to turn yourself in?"

" _After_ Shido's been brought down. You want to march me into the station and use me to clean your record fine, but you help me get to Shido first, that's the deal." The wayward Wild Card shot back hunching his shoulders.

"Fair enough." Holding out his hand he watched a range of different emotions fly through Goro's hand. He was looking at him as if any second he was going to produce another dagger, one which to plunge into his heart. Minutes passed before he finally let go of the fear and shook his hand. As usual Goro's gloves were cold as ice, almost like touching cold stone. "You ever think of taking those gloves off?" He called as the older boy began walking ahead of him again.

"If I did then I'd leave fingerprints all over the city, wouldn't I? Do you think I'm as stupid as Ryuji?" His mocking voice called back. He was almost six steps ahead of him when Goro suddenly stopped. "You...no matter what happens...you'll take down Shido, with or without me, won't you?"

"...Yeah, I promise."

When Goro started walking again Akira kept pace with him. He wasn't quite sure what it was, but the brown-haired assassin seemed a little...calmer. As they walked the back streets and roads in silence Akira felt a small stirring in his heart. Unknown to him Goro felt a similar feeling. Buildings and cars blurred as they grew closer and closer to their destination until they stood before the small cafe they'd come to see as a safe haven.

 _I feel like my bond with Goro..._ The black-haird thief thought.

 _Why do I think..._ The brown-haired assassin began looking at the door knob.

 _Just got a little bit stronger._

 _I can trust Akira a little more now?_

Pushing the door to Leblanc hope the two of them stepped into the closed cafe, bringing all eyes upon them. "Hey, everyone, we're back."

* * *

 **That's it everyone, the Rubicon has officially been crossed. From here on out don't expect the rest of the story to one-hundred percent follow the canon story-line.**

 **Combat-Naturally I took some creative liberties such as everyone being able to channel some of their Persona's power into their weapons and Akira being a walking knife drawer. While I'm pretty used to writing fight scenes usually I keep it limited to two, three, or five max so this story's going to be something of a challenge for me.**

 **Goro and Sae-In spite of all things, the two of them are actually more similar than either of them think. Both of them have some unresolved issues regarding their fathers that has had greater influence over them than they care to admit, both of them in their own way are disillusioned, they're both envious of a close associate, and both of them have a black knight motif which suits them perfectly. Given Goro's self reflection last chapter I made him zero-in on that this chapter when finally confronted with Sae's Shadow; for him it was almost like looking in mirror, not at all a pleasurable experience.**

 **The magic trick-So what did you all think? Loki is the god of trickery and mischief, and one popular version of him has a habit of using holographic projections for quick getaways. Throughout the game Goro snuck in and out of Palaces without anyone, not even Futaba, knowing so I figured his power set would include some more deception-based abilities. Given Goro's crow motif it works well because in certain cultures crows are associated with magic and mystery.**

 **Hopefully I'll have the next chapter out by the end of the week where we'll see the fallout of Goro's actions. Until then everyone!**


	5. Chapter 4-Broken Wings

**Hey, everyone, here's where the story official breaks from canon so you've been warned.**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4-Broken Wings**

 _ **Leblanc, late night...**_

Goro almost wished Akira had kept his mouth shut when they walked in. Not that it would have helped much since all eyes immediately turned to them the minute they stepped through the door. The whole gang was assembled here, and then some. Naturally the rest of the team were overjoyed to see him unharmed, as was Sojiro who breathed out a sigh of relief. Over the last few months he'd gradually come to see Akira as the son he never had, a sentiment Goro had become somewhat envious of. The other adult in the room, Sae, sighed in relief as well. He knew she'd be joining them at some point, but he didn't expect her to get back before them. Her change of heart must have been remarkable fast since she was sitting at the counter, a half-finished cup of coffee sitting before her. If Goro had to guess she probably needed it to ease her nerves after everything that had happened.

"You two weren't followed, were you?" The silver-haired woman asked looking over the two of them for any injuries.

"No, we took out time, which probably explains how you managed to beat us here." Akira answered rubbing the back of his neck with a lazy smile.

"Do either of you realize what's happened? They're tearing the entire city apart looking for you, wondering how you managed to give over fifty well-trained police offiicers the slip." She pressed slightly annoyed by Akira's devil may care attitude. "How'd you do it?"

Grinning Akira pointed his thumb at Goro. "My detective friend helped me out."

In one motion the black-haired teen turned all the attention onto him. Normally this wouldn't have been a problem, but to Goro this whole thing was uncharted territory. He'd had a plan, a decent well put together plan he'd thrown out the window so he could be stared at like some animal at the zoo. _I'll get you back for this, Akira._ The brown-haired teen mentally growled inhaling through his noise so he could speak. "I...used my second Persona to help him escape. The same one I've been using to cause the mental shutdowns."

And there it was, like a guillotine falling and slicing the head off the poor victim that had been brought in for execution. Sae's eyes immediately narrowed into razor slits, if anything Goro wouldn't have been surprised if she suddenly transformed back into her knight form solely so she could kill him. Across from her Sojiro sucked in a sharp breath. Goro wasn't sure what it was, but there was something that had been bothering him about the way the cafe owner looked at him. It was like a nagging in the back of his head he couldn't get rid of. Moving on from him he looked over at the other Phantom Thieves. Based on their faces they possibly had an idea, but now any fears they had were confirmed. The cold glance he was giving them didn't exactly help. Haru refused to look him in the eye, Ryuji did, and it wasn't hard to tell what he was thinking.

"You lying bastard," He snarled getting up out and his sit and walking over to him.

His fist reared back and Goro braced himself for the incoming attack, but it never got there. Akira stood in between the two boys, one arm pressed against Ryuji's chest and the other inches from Goro's own. "Ryuji, I know how you feel, but-"

"He set us up for murder, and you're okay with that?!" The blond shouted.

"No, I'm not, but if he's going to pay for it it's going to be on our terms." Akira retorted. "Believe me, I know you want to beat the crap out of him, but we've got bigger problems to worry about."

"And those would be?" Makoto inquired getting a bad feeling in her stomach.

"Problems such as each and everyone in this room has now become a target for one of the most powerful men in Japan, and if something isn't done, _the_ most powerful man in Japan, and arguable all fo east Asia." Goro finally said. It almost amazed him how dead and empty his voice sounded. In spite of that it did the trick in reversing the mood of the room as everyone looked at him wanting to know more. They weren't going to like what they were about to hear. "I've been running around performing mental shutdowns and assassinations on the orders of a single man, the same man who ordered me to kill Haru's father, masterminded Futaba's mother's death, and according to Akira...cheated you out of an elevator, Ryuji."

Though the anger was still there Ryuji step back, acknowledging the gravity of his statement. "F-For real?"

Racking his hand through his hair Akira looked out at his team and his surrogate father. It wasn't often he let them see him scared or worried, but this was one of those times bravado was going to do more harm than good. "Guys, I'm sorry."

"You all walked straight into the lion's den, literally." Goro added moving past Akira towards the counter where he took a seat away from Sae and the others. Akira and Ryuji joined the others at the table while Sae turned around to face him and Sojiro remained behind the counter. All eyes were on him waiting for him to explain. _Why the hell didn't I just shoot him when I had the chance._ "The man I've been working for is the same man I vowed would would spend the rest of his life either broken and alone or in a morgue. That man...is Masayoshi Shido, leader of the United Future Party, and...thanks to my efforts, the more than likely next Prime Minister of Japan." Just like with Akira the realization of how deep they were in materialized on everyone's face, even Ryuji who was probably the least politically informed realized the implications of what his words. Silence permeated the cafe as everyone quietly digested the information. Looking at Sae and Sojiro he saw recognition and horror. Clearly as the adult overseers they understood the gravity of the situation better than the others. On a whim he looked over to Akira; having already heard all the information before he hadn't been fazed in the slightest. The look he was giving him was asking him to reveal the final secret, the most closely guarded secret he hadn't shared with anyone. Steadily he shook his head implying there was no way in hell he was going to broadcast the truth to a room full of people with zero incentive to trust him, and him to trust them.

 _ **They haven't beat the crap out of you and forced you into a pair of handcuffs. Isn't that something?**_ Came the voice of Loki from the back of Goro's head.

 _ **As much I hate to say it, Loki's right. The condition was you lay all the cards out on the table. Keeping secrets is only going to cause more undue friction between you and everyone else.**_ Robin Hood echoed.

 _None of that was ever part of the deal!_ Goro screamed at the two of them.

 _ **Common sense would dictate it was.**_ The caped archer proclaimed a little more forcefully. _**The longer you hold off on telling them the more trouble you're creating down the line.**_

 _ **Better listen to Roby on this one, he actually knowns what he's talking about, believe it or not.**_ Loki chimed in.

The only thing worse than having the archer and god arguing in his head was when the two of them actually agreed on something. If not for his gloves Goro knew his nails would have been dragging across the counter top. _If I do tell them..._ Fear raced up his body freezing every muscle in his arms and legs. Frozen in place all he could do was stare at Akira, who held his gaze. Amazingly enough Haru joined him. She was hurting, that much was obvious, but she'd picked up on the silent exchange happening between the two Wild Cards. She was pleading with him to give her the truth. "There's...something else. He's also...also..." _Say it. Say it._ "Shido...is also...the man who...impregnated my mother, and left her with me."

In the short seconds that followed every mouth in the room went agape at this latest revelation. In one way or another they'd all seen Shido's face at least once, no doubt they were trying to find the family resemblance.

"So that's it, huh? You did all this just to make your dad proud?" Ryuji spat not even bothering to hide his disdain. "Guess you've done a bang up job so far, haven't ya'?"

The transformation from sorrow to rage was instantaneous. Red colored his vision and the only thought in his mind was beating Ryuji into a bloody mess; without wasting a second he moved to make that vision a reality. "SHUT THE HELL UP!"

Inches seperated them, and the arms of adults and their teammates kept them from clawing at each other like wild animals. For Ryuji Ann and Yusuke were doing everything in their power to hold him in his seat as he screamed profanities and threats Goro's way. Sae had thrown her arms around the teenage assassin in an effort to keep him from jumping Ryuji and ripping his face off with his bear hands. Seeing her sister struggling to hold him back Makoto joined her, shouting for both her teammates to calm down. Akira, Sojiro, and Morgana did their best to help while Futaba clapped both hands over her ears and buried her head in her knees as did Haru.

"You don't know anything! About me or why the hell I'm doing any of this!"

"You're a lying murderous bastard trying to please his daddy, what else is there to know!"

"This coming from the same guy who was a inch away from turning into his father before he became an attack dog!"

The heat exchange stoked an already raging fire within both teenagers making it all the harder for the others to restrain them. Shouting and screaming had filled the entire cafe like a volcanic eruption making it nearly impossible to think or a single voice to be heard.

One person had had enough of it.

Grabbing two frying pans Sojiro marched up to the front and slammed them together as hard as he could, not carrying if they were ruined beyond repair. "ENOUGH!"

Striking like lightning and crashing like thunder his voice towered over all others, silencing them in seconds. Goro and Ryuji slowly ceased their struggle, though the anger in their eyes didn't recede. Falling back they held the other's glare making it known that this...dispute between them was far from over. Yusuke and Makoto withdrew their arms, but Ann and Sae kept their hold on their respective men unable to shake the lingering thought they'd go for a sucker punch on the other.

Having seen fights like this play out several times in the courtroom and in the police headquarters Sae took the initiative and laid down the ground rules. "Listen up, for one reason or another everyone's angry, but whatever anyone feels will until Akechi's finished explaining, is that clear?" Looking around the cafe she got an affirmative nod from each of the teenagers, Ryuji of course being last. Finally her eyes fell to Goro. She'd never seen him like this, not even when they were fighting in the other world. He looked less like a human and more like a wild animal about to attack. It was almost...disturbing how he'd gone from calm and cool almost an hour earlier to this. "Akechi, Akechi!" When he looked at her Sae felt like she was holding a ticking time bomb. Given everything she'd just been told that was all the more reason to make keep Goro held back, for his own sake just as much as as everyone else's. "Explain, from the beginning."

Moving back into his seat Goro took a few moments to calm himself. If he made it through this night without ripping anyone's head off it'd be a miracle.

"When did you awaken your Personas?" Akira asked once he felt it was safe enough to ask.

"Two years ago."

"Two years ago? So you've been running around Mementos for a full two years?" Morgana inquired looking very interest. Looking at the blue-eyed feline Goro remembered how he'd stated he was searching for clues to his own lost identity.

"Yes, one day, completely out of the blue this...app, the Metaverse app, appeared on my phone. Like you can imagine I tried getting rid of it but it just wouldn't go away. I made the mistake of pressing it during my school's lunchbreak."

"Let me guess, you ended up in Mementos?" Ann asked feeling the sense of deja vu.

"At first I wanted to believe it was someone's idea of a joke or I was hallucinating, those thoughts changed when I ran into Shadows. I ran and ran, eventually stumbling into the Palace of one of my...classmate. That's where I awakened Robin Hood."

"So you...took his heart?" Yusuke questioned seeing the easing up of the brown-haired teen's muscles.

"No...like I said, before I met you guys I had no idea you could change a person's heart by stealing their Treasure. Instead I just...beat the crap out of his Shadow, threatened him, then I got out." The feelings of rage and malice had left him leaving him feeling quite light headed. Like with so many other things he'd gotten used to the side effects of his transitioning from extreme rage to a sadness-induced calm. He felt his back hit up against the counter as he felt his own heart beat resume a steady and even beat. "At first I...sneaked into the Palaces of people I knew, people who were making life more miserable than usual for me or..." By reflex his fists tightened and the calm aura dimmed. "I sneaked into Palaces, scared the owners witless, and went on with life as usual. That lasted for about two weeks."

Though she was still trying to wrap her mind around all this talk about Palaces and Personas Sae was doing a good enough job of keeping up. She hadn't missed the brief break when he started talking about what he used his powers for. A part of Sae wanted to press him further on that, but the prosecutor in her told her she had to press on. There'd be time for a full interrogation later. "What happened after two weeks? What changed and made you start..."

"Killing people? Driving them insane? Devolve into a psychotic mass of hatred and lunacy?"

Makoto threw a hand over her face. "Akechi-kin, please, we're...we're trying to help."

"Speak for yourself." Ryuji snorted.

"I tried tackling a well-known bully who'd made the lives of me and my classmates hell in the same way Kamoshida made life at Shujin miserable for you guys." If Goro had been affected by Ryuji words he didn't show it. What did happen was his eyes grew darker and the air around him seemed to grow cold as ice. Sensing the change Futaba shifted uncomfortably and clung to Akira while Morgana stood upwards at full attention. "To cut a long story short, I bit off more than I could chew. My target was three times stronger than I was and he used me as a human softball." Goro's right eye twitched at the memory. Turning to Ryuji his face was a mix of snarl and a vicious smirk. "Sorry you weren't there to see it."

"Boys." Sojiro growled as it looked like Ryuji was about to jump out of his seat again. Turning to Goro the older man sighed. "So that was it? That classmate was your first kill?"

"...Yes. Just as he was about to kill me I...heard my second Persona call out to me. It offered, no, it told me to stop holding back something I always knew I had in me."

"What was it?" For the first time since he'd walked in Haru directly addressed him. Her hands were clapped together and while it seemed like she was holding it together Goro knew looks could have be decieving. "Akira said you used your second Persona to help him escape, it's more than likely the same one you've been using to cause the psychotic breakdowns, and from the sounds it, when you awoke it you gave into the darkness of your heart. What was your second Persona?"

"...Loki."

"Loki?" Futaba repeated looking up with slightly wide-eyed. "You mean as in-"

"Yes, Futaba. Loki, Norse god of mischief, fire, trickery, eventual bringer of Ragnarok, and blood-brother of Odin." Goro kindly interrupted. "Contrary to what you've read in comics and seen in movies he's brother to Odin, not Thor."

 _ **Thanks for keeping the record straight, Master.**_ The trickster spoke within his head.

"Well that...certainly puts things into perspective." Yusuke admitted. "Like ours, your Persona is an outcast god as well, albeit perhaps the patron deity of tricksters and rogues."

"You forgot doombringers," Goro added feeling himself fall into a lazy slouch much like Loki always did. "Anyways, I used Loki to kill that bastard. I didn't realize what I'd done until the next day they'd announced he'd died of a heart attack; it didn't take me long to connect the dots and realize I'd just committed murder. At first...it...disgusted me, but by sunset I realized what I could do with this power. After that I...decided to go...clean up some unfinished business. I used Loki's power to create fake cases and solve old cases, going into the Metaverse and causing breakdowns to create cases to solve and shaking down Shadows for information on cases that had gone cold. A nice little farce I made up to make myself feel better, but it wasn't enough to distract me from my original goal, the only goal that ever mattered."

"Shido." Haru guessed.

"Obviously." Goro snarled. "I knew with my power I could get him the job he'd always wanted thus giving me the opening I needed."

"Why didn't you just kill him?" Ignoring the calls for him to be quiet Ryuji held his glare. "At this point killing point didn't seem to bother you too much, so why was Shido different? Couldn't you have just killed him and gotten it over with before anyone else had to get hurt?"

Like an anchor Goro's head dropped, his chestnut-brown hair draped over his head like some shadowy curtain. "Sakamoto...why the hell would I _just_ want to kill him? Heheheh..." What started as a whisper soon erupted into a demented chorus of dark, twisted laughter. The assassin's whole body shuddered as his head remained bowed yet the dark rippling sound continued to pour from his lips filling the once quiet cafe. It was a horrid sound that didn't belong to a teenager but to a mad man. Watching him the assembled occupants realized in a way that's exactly what Goro had become in his pursuit of revenge.

Akira would have been lying if he didn't say he wasn't even the tiniest bit unnerved by this sudden change in personality like his teammates. He'd caught a glimpse of it yesterday down by the fishing hole, but here he was seeing the darkness that lay within Goro Akechi for the first time in full view. Beside him Futaba clenched his arm a little tighter, she was scared, and Akira didn't blame her. Remembering how their last conversation had went Akira spoke up, "You...didn't want to kill him, you wanted to break him."

"Exactly." Goro managed in between his insane bursts of laughter. "Death would be too quick and painless for that bastard. No, I wanted to see him suffer, I wanted him to know what it felt like to have everything you've ever cared about ripped away and your whole world smashed into pieces! I wanted him to know how painful it was to lose your home and be left to fend for you but yourself! To have your entire life's work taken away! I wanted him to get crushed under the same pain and despair he inflicted on me and my mother! I wanted him suffer the same way my mother and I suffered until the only the only thought in his head was making the pain end the old fashion way, the same way my mother chose to end hers and I considered ending mine!" Quick as lightning he looked back up at Ryuji, who'd gone white at seeing the maniac gleam in his eyes. "That's why I didn't just shoot him, Sakamoto! That's why I'm sitting here in a stupid cafe explaining my life story to all of you! Is that enough of an answer for you?!"

By the end the seventeen year-old's voice had devolved into little more than thunderous screaming that left everyone in the room in stunned silence. With his hair disheveled and his eyes wide and feral Goro looked less human and more wild beast, dangerous beast at that.

Ryuji wasn't sure what he'd been expecting when he opened his mouth, but this was a little more than what he bargained for. Terrifying as they were he couldn't look away from the dark red orbs that were Goro's eyes. It almost seemed like they'd paralyzed him in place. In his ear he heard his heartbeat ticking by as his brain struggled to find something to say. In the face of the rage, hatred, and faint sadness he saw in Goro's eyes he came up with nothing resulting in him sitting back down.

All around the table the team digested the confession personally and privately. Calm and cool as the ice he commanded in battle Yusuke kept his thoughts and feelings to himself. Still, the more he looked at Goro the sadder his face became. It felt like looking at a ruined piece of art. Beside him Makoto had also gone silent, her mouth open in slight shock at the level of hatred her sister's partner had been hiding. Slowly her hands fell against the table in an effort to calm herself. Across from them Haru and Akira made no effort to disguise their looks of pity. At the edge Ann looked at the brown-haired male with a faint hint of fear. The kind of madness and hatred that swirled in his eyes she'd seen only in mad bombers and lunatics on TV shows and movies. To actually see such a person up close and be within touching distance of one had left her feeling more than a little...unnerved.

Sae and Sojiro had gone deathly quiet. The former looked as if she were still trying to decipher if this rage-filled youth was the same teenager she'd come to work with over the last year or so; more than that, if he was even still the innocent child she'd originally believed. Every thing she'd just seen and heard, it was too familiar for her liking. Sojiro merely turned away from the boy and ran another hand over his face. God only knew what the elder man was thinking, but one thing was clear-he wished he was anywhere else but here.

"My mother, what...what about my mother?"

Futaba's voice was meek and quiet, but in the vaccum that Goro's rant had left it carried the force of a drum beat.

Slowly some of the ferocity melted off of Goro's face as he turned to face the orange-haired girl. Though she was still clinging to Akira she was trying to stay strong in the face of such hostility. "I don't know the specifics, but Shido wasn't the only one who wanted your mother's research. He was still the mastermind of her death, one of his...underlings got to her first, then I had to come in and clean up the mess he left behind." He should have told her the truth, but seeing the trembling resolve in her eyes Goro just couldn't do so. "I eliminated all the others who were after your mother's research to make sure Shido was able to move uncontested through the Metaverse."

Hearing the truth, or at least the abridged truth seemed to sooth some of her inner turmoil. Behind him Goro saw Sojiro narrow his eyes at him before moving over. Futaba climbed over Akira and threw herself into her adoptive father's arms.

"Akechi-kun...what about my father?" Just like before Haru had steeled herself, ready for the horrid details concerning her father's demise.

Goro liked reciting that story even less. Whatever remained of the malice he'd built up drained out of him causing him to fall back against the counter top. "Haru...the reason your father was picked was because...he was the perfect candidate. With him Shido and his associates could kill three birds with one stone. It was almost laughable how easy it was to set everything up."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ann challenged not at all liking his tone.

"After you stole Kaneshiro's Treasure the Conspiracy took notice of you. Shido may be an arrogant asshole, but he knew he couldn't leave you be. He knew you'd start getting overconfident, especially since after Kaneshiro your fame took off over night. Plus Okumura was..."

"Was what?" Standing up with both hands on the table, her eyes close to tears Haru cried out to Goro. "Please! Tell me, what was it about my father that made him a sacrificial lamb!"

Goro's right eye twitched. "Even amongst the Conspiracy, which was full of the worst of the worst, you father wasn't all that well-liked. In fact, not one member of the organization liked him."

"Gee, talk about zero-percent approval." Morgana groaned.

"Oh, trust me, that's not even the half of it. Of the political players involved in the Conspiracy _none of them_ wanted Okumura breaking into politics. Unfortunately, his greed was what doomed all of you." Running both hands through his hair Goro realized he was beginning to sweat. That wasn't a good sign, he only sweated when it meant he was approaching a breaking point. Regardless, he had to push on if he expected to see the end of this night. "Haru, if there is one thing to be grateful for, it's the fact you never married Sugimura. He's..."

 _ **Oh for Yggdrasil's sake, just spit it out. You can't hurt the girl worse than you already have!**_ Loki groaned to his right.

 _ **Once again, I agree with Loki. Goro, please, this is starting to frighten me.**_ Robin Hood echoed on his left.

 _ **Is agreeing with me really so bad, Roby?**_

 _ **You're certifably insane, if I'm agreeing with you then it means my mental state must be on the decline.**_

 _ **Psssh, like sanity's all its cracked up to be.**_

 _ **Spoken by a man who's suffered more than most for never knowing when to keep his mouth shut or recognizing when something was a bad idea.**_

Verbally groaning Goro threw both hands over his eyes. "Quiet! Both of you! Can't you see I'm under enough stress as is without your bickering?!"

"Uh, Akechi?" Sae's concerned voice called

"Huh?" Pulling his head away he realized everyone was once again looking at him, now more confused than anything. Even Ryuji seemed to be giving him a look questioning if he was mentally sound.

Futaba, being the "geek" of the group was quick to put the pieces together. "Wait a minute, we all can hear our Personas in our heads. Since you have two that must mean...you can hear Robin Hood and Loki in your head together, can't you?"

"You want one of them, make me an offer." The detective's dryly replied.

 _ **Hey! You'd throw us to the wind so casually after everything we've done for you?**_ Loki howled throwing his head aside in fake sadness. _**How could you be so cruel?!**_

 _ **I believe he's learned from you.**_ Robin Hood coolly answered earning a sharp glare from his counterpart.

His nerves fried and his face a flat frown Goro turned back to Haru, not caring how cold or dead he sounded. "If you'd married Sugimura your possible rape and sexual abuse would have been swept underneath the rung. He and his family have done so before and they'd have done it again. Okumura didn't know about it partially because they did such a good job of hiding it from the public and even most of Tokyo's upper class, but more than a handful of Shido's flunkies knew." A look of absolute horror crossed her face creating a tinge of regret inside him. "The plan was to gradually reveal this information to the public so when Okumura died all evidence would point to you. Shido had more than a few contacts and spies in Okumura Foods, they'd place evidence that would point the police in your direction as it came out out disgusting Sugimura was. With your father's death you'd be free to inherit the company and break off the engagement to him, who'd have absolutely no defense against the allegations against him while you yourself would go down for supposedly ordering the Phantom Thieves to kill your father so you could get the company and your freedom. Your father and Sugimura would be out of their hair and the Phantom Thieves would become pariahs the public wanted hung in the streets allowing the Conspiracy to continue with its plans uncontested. "

Though she'd kept telling herself she was ready, the full truth still hit Haru harder than a Megaton Raid attack. Her knees became wobbly, if not for Akira she would have collapsed. Just as he did with Futaba Akira held her close as she struggled to come to grips with how wicked a plot her family had become involved in.

"Are you effin' serious! Dammit, this is real life! Not some episode of Crime and Punishment!" Ryuji roared slamming his fist against the table.

"That was precisely the point, genius." Goro sneered. "Fiction it may be, the series is based on crimes and cases that really happened in one form or another."

"As much as I hate to say it, Akechi's right." Sae voiced rubbing her forehead. Right about now she was wishing the cafe sold alcohol because she really needed a drink. "The case would have been on the news for weeks, and Shido no doubt would have used it to bolster his approval ratings, not that he needed the extra help. In fact, this whole thing sounds more personal than professional."

"It was." Goro corrected leering at Sae. "He talks like a saint, but behind closed doors Shido's one of the pettiest bastards you'd ever meet. Almost a quarter of the assignments he gave me were just going after someone who crossed him in the past. That's why after he had her killed he forged that note about Futaba's mother, just to spite her."

"Why?!" Futaba shouted breaking free from Sojiro. "What the hell did my mother ever do to that bastard!? Was it because she didn't give him her research when he asked the first time?"

Goro regarded her with cold flat eyes. "If I had to guess, yes. Hurting you was just another way for him to get back at your moth-" The ringing of his phone cut hom off mid-sentence. His body froze like a deer in headlights as did everyone else's. Pulling out his phone he spoke aloud, "It's Shido."

Sae immediately locked eyes with the young assassin. "Put him on speaker phone, everyone else, not a word."

"Anyone got duct tape for Ryuji's mouth?" Morgana asked throwing the blond punk a sideways glance.

Before the insulted Persona-user could open his mouth Yusuke reached over and clapped his hand over it preventing him from speaking. A few muffled grunts came out before the two boys locked eyes and the struggling ceased.

Goro looked around the room making sure everyone was completely still and silent. Akira was the last one to look at him, after getting his nod of approval he picked up the call, bracing himself for the torrent of abuse that was about to follow. "Hello?"

"Hello? Hello?! That's all you can say to me after a blunder like that!?" Came the infuriated voice of the man his mother had fallen head over heels for.

In the short ten seconds that followed Goro tried as hard as he could to force his feelings back underneath the mask of servitude he always wore to fool Shido. He blamed the others for stirring his emotions. "I-I'm sorry. T-The Phantom Thieves, I under-"

"They tricked you, deceived you, pulled the rug out from under your feet. After you told me, _practically begged me_ to let you handle this." Shido's cold voice snapped. Based on his tone it was clear if he could he'd reach through the screen and strike Goro down for his failure. "Akechi, you had one simple job, and as I suspected you couldn't even do that right."

This time Sae was the one who held back the smearing rage that threatened to explode from within him. Looking her dead in the eye Goro found the strength needed to force the eruption back down instead of launching into a stream of profanities. Biting his tongue he bowed his head a little. "I can still eliminate them on my own."

"Forgive me for not having the utmost confidence in your abilities."

"I've helped get you this far, didn't I?" Goro challenged.

"Hah! Boy, if anything you should be thanking _me_ for allowing you to come this far. Without me we both know you'd still be that same pathetic alleycat that came crawling to my door two years ago. None of your actions so far have proven to me anything's changed." Shido casually fired back.

Barely containing the fiery explosion he knew was coming Goro acted quickly, "Your Palace, if I can get them onto your cruise ship I can eliminate all of them in one swoop. It'll be quick and clean, absolutely no risk to you or your plans."

"My Palace? You want me to allow those flithy thieves to trasnpass into my mind?" The bald-headed politican snarled.

"Either that or do you want to take a chance on killing them in the real world where there could be complications?"

"You make it sound as if I haven't done such things before."

Goro took note of how several members of the assembly flinched hearing that. "Yes, but with the election so close why chance it? Please Shido-san, let me make up for my failure. I can convince them to enter your Palace, and once we're inside we can destroy them."

" _I_ can destroy them." He corrected sounding annoyed. Following his statement was a long silence in which Goro could practically feel the seconds ticking away. Looking around he saw everyone had broke out into cold sweat yet had been able to refrain from making any noises. His eyes trailed back to his phone just to see the line was still open. "Fine then," Shido finally said. "Arrange for them to target me for a change of heart. I'll call you in tomorrow to finalize the details. Akechi, this is the last time, no more blunders or slip ups, is that clear?"

"Yes sir, I promise, I won't fail you again."

The line finally went dead allowing several members of the group to breath sighs of relief.

"Is he always this charming or you failing this big one just had him in an extra nasty mood?" Akira cracked removing his glasses to wipe his eyes.

"Shut up." The red-eyed Wild Card snapped. "You have no idea what it's like working under a monster like him. The only reason I didn't blow your brains out tonight was because I figured you could get me closer to my goal than waiting and binding my time."

"You mean because I talked you out of a suicide mission." Akira calmly fired back ignoring the death glare Goro was giving him.

"Ah, so that's what happened." For the first time in the entire night all attention fell on the blue-haired painter who'd been oddly quiet and subdued throughout the entire meeting. Hands folded he looked at Goro with piercing eyes. "I was curious why you suddenly diverted from your original plan to kill Akira and leave us to the wind. Now I know why-you realized you couldn't stop Shido on your own."

"I never said that." Goro defended.

"You never said it, but your actions have shown it. Somewhere inside you came to the logical conclusion if you cut us off you'd be standing against Shido alone, dimming your odds of success." Yusuke replied.

"I've been facing him alone up until now and I've done just fine so far." Goro was starting to feel his temper flare up again. The way Yusuke was looking at him made him feel like a science experiment being examined and studied. He hated it when that happened to him.

"You call this fine?" Sae finally snapped stepping away to get a full look at him. "Akechi, you've ruined countless lives and your own trying to bring down a man who..." Seeing the steel-like coldness of his eyes killed whatever words the silver-haired woman was about to say. Sighing she shut her eyes and shook her head. "How does this qualify as fine? You realize when all of this is over you're probably going to be spending the rest of your life in prison, don't you?"

"You make that sound like it's something to be worried about." Goro answered.

"Akechi! This isn't a game, dammit!"

"I never said it was! You think I didn't know the risks when I approached Shido! I knew damn well this whole thing was going to end with either me dead or locked away for the rest of my life!"

"Then why?!" Sae yelled slamming her fist against the counter. "Why the hell did you go through with his insane plan?!"

"Because I decided it was worth it! What did you want me to do?! Sit on my hands and knees and wait until Akira and the others magically appeared one day and joined them!? Walk into his Palace and kill his Shadow and let him die in silence after everything he'd done to my mother!?" Goro fired back jumping to his feet and matching her glare for glare. "I chose to act! I decided to become a monster if it meant bringing him down with me when judgement came! If I have to die or spend the rest of my life in a cell then fine, as long he comes with me nothing else matters!"

Once more silence filled the vacuum by words spoken. No one dared move as the heated showdown between the former partners pattered out into a stunned silence no one was sure they wanted to be the one to break. Almost no one.

"So...you're okay with throwing your life away?" Morgana asked, pity evident in his voice. "You're willing to give up everything you've gained to take down Shido?"

The fire in Goro's eyes and voice had become ice, cold and desolate as the northern glaciers. "What life? You mean a reputation I built on lies? Hundreds of fans who 'love' me so long as I continue playing the kind and upstanding detective? Don't lump me in with the rest of you." He spat looking at the rest of the Phantom Thieves as if they were a nest venomous snakes. "I don't have anyone or anything waiting for me so I've got nothing to lose, never did to start with, and I sure as hell haven't gained anything yet. There was only one person who might have been able to talk me out of this, and she decided to leave because she got tired of looking at my face every day."

Those words caused something in Haru to break. Looking across from him she spoke, "Even...even us? We don't count for anything?"

Goro forced his glare to remain hardened. He hated how each of them were looking at him, hated it from the bottom of his heart. "Don't patronize me." he snarled, only barely keeping it from becoming an outright scream. "Don't act like any of you care because I know you don't. From start to finish this whole thing was nothing but a relationship of convenience, we all know that. You wanted something from me and I wanted something from you, that hasn't changed so don't pretend it has in front of me!" Sae flinched when his eyes his dark eyes suddenly swiped towards her, telling her she wasn't exempt from his declaration. "When this is over I'll turn myself in and spend the rest of my life locked away where none of you have to see me again. That sound like a fair deal, doesn't it?"

Akira took one look around the cafe and realized they'd probably reached as far as they could go. Between Goro and Ryuji nearly getting into a fight, Shido's call, and Goro's own words everyone had reached their mental breaking point as well as their physical one. The assassin's latest outburst was simply the final nail in the coffin. "Yeah, it's a fair deal." It scared him a little how empty and drained his own voice sounded. "We'll...hammer out the details for Shido's Palace tomorrow, after everyone's had some time to rest up." _And cool off._ He wanted to add. In truth he wasn't sure what to expect when they made it back to Leblanc, but like with so many other things events had spiraled out of control forcing him to adapt on the go. He feared continuing this conversation would result in words being said that couldn't be taken back. "Any complaints about calling it a night and meeting back here tomorrow evening?"

No one verbally answered him, instead they just gave him a look that practically begged him to end the meeting before something else happened. Sae was perhaps the only outlier, she looked between him and the still tightly-compressed Goro. Akira could only imagine what was going through her head now. Her gaze lingered on him as if she were searching for something else to say. That route was a lost cause because he knew she'd come to the same wall he'd come to, that sky-high steel wall Goro threw up to protect himself from anyone who could hurt him, or reach out to him. They weren't going to crack that wall tonight, they were only going to reinforce it.

"Alright, anyone want anything before they go? I'm closing up the shop for the night." Sojiro said looking like he'd aged a good ten years just by listening to them. He wasn't too surprised when almost everyone slowly shook their heads.

Seeing the conversation was over Goro immediately began walking towards the door.

"You may be at peace with giving your life, but what about ours?"

Again, Yusuke's voice so co calm and unwavering Goro couldn't help but take notice of it. "What about your lives?"

"You've sacrificed countless lives to reach this point, including your own, yet you've refused to sacrifice ours." The Emperor-aligned swordsman continued looking undaunted at him. "You lied to us."

"No shit."

"Just now, when you said you had nothing waiting for you, you lied."

"Oh yeah, sure. Like after hearing all that any of you give a damn what happens to me. I could drop dead and you'd all go on like nothing happened. That's the way the world works." The door slammed shut on his way out and and his footsteps became the only sound in his ear. He was half way down the street when he finally stopped and looked back at the quiet little cafe. "It's not like any of them care, they can't."

 _ **Are you so certain of that?**_

Having been living with them for over two years Goro had grown accustomed to Robin Hood and Loki's voices. While male the voice he'd just heard belonged to neither of them. Alert he looked around the street, sweat pouring down his face and his heart racing a mile a minute. Instinctively he turned back to the cafe expecting to see someone poking their head out the door. The entire street was deserted save for him.

"What the hell was that?" He said before he felt the world around him come to a sudden stop.

 _ **I am thou, thou art I...**_

 _ **Thou hast aquired new vows.**_

 _ **They shall become the wings of liberation that shatter thy chains chains of bondage.**_

 _ **With the births of the Judgement, Empress, Emperor, and Chariot Personas,**_

 _ **I have obtained the winds of blessings that shall lead to freedom and salvation.**_

Tarot cards, four of them, flashed through his mind like flashes of lightning appearing and fading in an instant. Almost every sense he possessed was frozen then spontaneously came back to him, temporarily shocking him to the point he almost tripped over his own feet. His breathing came out in short bursts as he scoured the surrounding area. At first he saw nothing before turning to his left finding a trail of blue sparkles ascending upwards. He immediately recognized the tiny particles, the blue butterfly that had sunk into his room was moving upwards, towards the night sky.

"What...what the hell do you want from?" Goro growled watching the insect disappear amid the darkness. Briefly he turned back to the cafe, then he stormed off down the street. His head was hurting and the only cure he knew of would be a nice long sleep.

* * *

The minute he was back in his apartment Goro felt the overwhelming urge to throw off his clothes and crawl into bed. For a minute he almost did so before realizing he might as well shower and put something in his stomach. Knowing Shido he'd be calling first thing in the morning demanding for him to come in and explain himself. That would be easier if he was rested and well-feed.

Underneath the shower his body groaned in bliss as the hot water cascaded around him. The phantom pains from his battle with Sae's Shadow finally melted away as did the numerous knots that had formed during his conversation with the Phantom Thieves. By the time he came out he felt just a little bit better than he did before. The quick meal he ate before sleeping probably helped him sleep better whereas before it would have taken him longer.

Sleep was dark and peaceful, exactly how he liked it. He wanted to stay in the colorless darkness forever, but fate had other plans.

 _ **Goro.**_

Hearing Robin Hood and Loki speaking in perfect unison was more than enough to snap the brown-haired youth awake. Pitch black greeted his eyes, yet he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on in. The ice-like chill running up his spine, the sudden alertness he couldn't quite explain, yet trusted deeply, it all told him one inescapable fact-someone was in his apartment.

Slowly and carefully he looked around his room finding that he was completely alone. That meant the intruder was outside, probably sitting in the living room. No, they were definitely in the living room. He heard the all too audible humming. Whoever had snuck into his home wanted Goro to know he or she was there. With as much stealth as he could manage he crawled out of his bed, making sure to keep his steps as light as possible as he made his way over to his desk. Popping a hidden compartment he grabbed his pistol. Doing a quick check to make sure it was loaded he proceeded down the hallway towards the living room. His heart was thundering in his chest at over a mile a minute.

With the curtains pulled back allowing moonlight to flood the room he got a good look at the intruder once he was at the end of the hallway.

"Hey there, Prince Detective, nice spread you got here! Here I was worried I'd find you living in some shithole hut like me, but I'm surprised, in a good way."

Goro felt his gun begin to slid from his grip as he stared at the intruder sitting in the chair across from his couch, staring directly at him. "N-N...No...no...no." He repeated again and again with eyes growing larger by the second.

"Is that any way to treat an old friend?"

Those words were enough to knock some sense back into him. "Shut the hell up! You and I aren't friends! Far from it!" The seventeen year-old roared angling his pistol at the chest of the intruder. Nothing about him had changed, despite spending almost an entire year in prison the man known as Sanyu Terashima looked like he'd just walked out of a spa given how clean and prestine he looked. It wasn't too bad for a man who everyone had predicted would be dead within a week once he was finally arrested and tried for the forty plus murders he'd committed.

It went without saying that Sanyu "The Terror" Terashima was a very intimidating man, with or without a weapon. Maybe it was his impressive six foot-three stature or his muscular build. Beneath his clean cut dress coat and white undershirt lay a patchwork of scars he'd gained from his numerous years of killing for the Yakuza. Decked out in dress pants and slacks somewhat similar to his own Terashima certainly looked the part of a professional gangster. Looking at his face was more than enough to tell a person that was only scratching the surface. It was often said that he was both handsome and terrifying to speak to-razor-sharp eyes of similar red shading to his own and raven-black hair that loosely fell across his face giving him a dangerous yet enchanting face. Despite the darkness he was able to clearly see the faint scar that ran along the right side of his neck down to the center of his chest. Though his posture was laid back Goro knew better than anyone if he wanted to he could close the distance and disarm him in the blink of an eye; that was reason enough to keep his gun trained on the hitman's chest and his finger on the trigger.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Goro finally said having regained some measure of control.

"I can't come say hi to an old associate? From what I hear you don't have a lot of friends so I decided to come pay you a visit." Terashima answered placing both hands behind his head as he leaned back.

When he put his right leg up Goro caught sight of the gun holster strapped to the side. There was little doubt in his mind it was a deliberate act. "How'd you escape? I know for a fact you were out of contacts when you were put away, no more strings to pull or favors to call in."

The so-called handsome face that had won over many a woman and even man years prior warped into an insidious smile that chilled Goro's blood. "Yeah, after all, you made sure there was no where left me to to go, didn't ya', Prince Detective, or should I say Black Mask?" He could have taken him the second he saw the younger assassin's gun falter, but Terashima didn't want that. What he did do was savor the look of complete shock and outright horror that materialized on the boy's face as his mind struggled to process the news. "Surprise, I gotta say, I knew there was something about you the day we meant. Something...dark about you. Who knew I'd ran into a mini-me."

"Be quiet!" Goro screamed struggling to regain his composure while grappling with his racing emotions. "Not another word."

Terashima's grin grew wider while his target's sneer grew deeper. "You shouldn't point a gun at something unless you're planning to kill it."

"If you know that name then you know I'm more than planning to killing you." The brown-haired teen fired back. "How the hell did Shido get you out?"

A dark chuckle escaped the thirty-six year-old hitman as he cocked his head. "Why not ask your friend, Superintendent General Mitsumoto." This time the gun almost fell from the teenager's hands completely. Terashima howled with laughter. "Guess you really can't trust anyone these days, can you?"

When Goro regained his focus he didn't aim for the chest. "I'm going to kill you."

"Then go ahead and pull the trigger. You've got a suppresser on so all you'll have to do is clean up the blood and dump my body. Should be easy as hell for you, oh wait, all you've ever done is kill people in that other world." The black-haired man baited. "Good stuff, kid, but it just quite isn't the real thing." Murder flashed in the younger boy's eyes. "Do it."

Goro squeezed the trigger twice letting loose two bullets, each of them flying silently through the air towards Terashima's head.

The blood splatter never came, neither did the sound of bullets shattering bone. What Goro did hear were them making holes in the walls.

"Yeah, see, things have changed since we last met. I've learned some new tricks." The adult leered. It may have been Goro's imagination, but he could have sworn the temperature in the apartment seemed to have skyrocketed. It felt like a furnace. "Let me show you one of them."

At first Goro wanted to believe the flickering red flames were a trick of his eyes. The sudden blast of hot air nearly evaporated all the moisture from his skin. Too late did he realize what was happening was real, _dangerously_ real.

"Burn it all, _Flamma._ "

Eyes red as blood appeared above the hitman. The rest of the humanoid figure materialized quickly enough amid the geyser of red flames that erupted around Terashima. Goro was able to make out enough of it to get an idea of what he was looking at-a bear-chested warrior holding a massive steel sword in a horizontal position.

The sword flashed bright crimson, and then the furnace became a supernova.

* * *

 **I figure that's a good place to stop. Let me know how you all felt about Goro's talk with the whole team. Once I started writing Goro and Ryuji's fight the rest of the chapter pretty much wrote itself. While several could make a case for Goro just killing Shido's Shadow and ending the whole mess before it even started, well, then there'd be no story. Yaldabaoth chose Goro because he hated Shido so much he didn't just want to kill him, as Akira stated, he wanted to _break_ him and the society that he represented. The kind of hatred he had is the kind that can only be satisfied by destroying everything the object of your disdain holds dear. It is a dark yet powerful force that can drive a person to walk through the depths of hell, and for some people it's worth it. Characters like that have always held my interest, be they good, evil, or in-between so I wanted to address the pros and cons of walking such a path.**

 **I used a mixture of headcanons and guessing when it came to Okumura and Goro's backstory, and then there's Futaba's mother. Yes, in this story Goro wasn't the one who killed her, though what he did do was still pretty awful. As said this chapter Goro told an abridged version of what really happened to Wakabe; eventually he'll tell the full story, but they'll come later.**

 **Wrapping all that up I finally revealed the mysterious figure who kicked Goro's ass across Mementos in the prologue. Since Goro's past was pretty much given minimal detail I decided to experiment with it, and have it clash with his present-day conflicts.**

 **Until next chapter, everyone, stay safe!**


	6. Chapter 5-Starless Sky Pt1

**I didn't mean to take such an extended break from this story, but colds tend to make you do that. Moving on, here's the next chapter in the story everyone.**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5-Starless Sky Pt.1**

 _ **Leblanc, Nov 15th, 3:36 AM...**_

After Goro's...info dump Akira was grateful when he was finally able to return to bed. He wasn't quite sure what to expect when he brought Goro back to Leblanc to explain the situation to everyone, he knew things were going to be tense, but last night had surpassed all his expectations. In his bones he knew it was going to be tough getting everyone to work together, even if it was only for one last mission. Goro had made it clear he didn't trust any of them, and for the most part Akira felt the feeling was mutual. What bothered him was the look of complete hostility in his eyes-it was like he was fully expecting them to leave him for dead somewhere in Shido's Palace. He'd made it clear that he thought no one in the room gave a rat's ass what happened to him.

The look in his eyes had haunted Akira as he showered and put himself under the covers. His stormy-gray orbs remained glued to the ceiling while Morgana slept on the windowsill.

 _ **It's a strange feeling, isn't it? To look in a mirror and see your reflection?**_

Akira wasn't surprised Arsene was up as well. It seemed when he was most mentally active his Persona was right there with him. In a way he found it comforting since it gave him someone he could talk to openly. Then again, Arsene was another facet of his own mind so technically he was only talking to himself. The red-clad Persona had called him out on that once and remarked he still made for a good conversationalist; Akira over time came to agree with him. _"Did I ever get that low? Thinking that everyone was out to get me? That they'd turn their backs on me the minute things got tough?"_

Beside his bed Arsene's red form began to materialize. Only he could see and hear him like how only Goro could hear his Personas. For this reason he kept their conversations limited to when they were alone least he be called out for talking to himself. The hellish flames that made up Arsene's face formed a somewhat sad smile as he his head back. _**After your first confrontation with Shido, your heart trembled with such fear I wondered if it was flesh or merely a heart-shaped leaf. It was quite amusing to watch it wax and wane with every new face you encountered. Then came Kamoshida's Palace,**_ The black-winged Persona's smile grew wider and more proud as he recalled the moment he and Akira formed their contract. _**You shook off the chains of fear and doubt, and your wings of rebellion took shape giving you the power to soar high. For young Goro, I'm afraid, the case is a tad bit different.**_ Looking his master the grin disappeared, in its place was a straight frown that didn't suit Arsene at all. _**Akira, what happens to a dog that is abused constantly, whipped and chided for every move it makes. Forced it bear its fangs at every being that crosses its path. Tell me, when you try to befriend it do you think it will run into your arms openly and graciously?**_

If Goro heard Arsene Akira was sure he would have hit him, not that Akira could blame him. _"So...compared to us...he's become a mad dog. Gee, that's a nice way to describe things."_

 _ **In my opinion, the boy is right to distrust all of you.**_ His statement sharpened the teenager's gaze just as Arsene hoped it would. _**You have no reason to risk your lives for him. No reason to welcome him into your fold. You have every reason to despise him and wish him great harm, especially Haru and Futaba. At some point he knows the relationship will sour and it will be him against all of you. He has accepted that outcome as inevitable.**_

 _"That sounds like a more poetic way of saying he's given up."_

 _ **In a manner of speaking, he has. Did you not hear his words last night? See the look in his eyes. Oh, Goro Akechi knows he's condemned, his only wish is to take his enemies with him before he goes. Heh, I can understand why Loki's taken such a liking to the boy.**_

 _"Is there a story behind you two? In the casino you sounded like you knew each other."_ Akira questioned with an arched eyebrow.

Arsene's devilish grin returned in full force. Seeing it actually made Akira feel a tiny bit better about the situation. _**One day, when you're older. Back to my point, for the condemned there is no point in trying to change their fates. They know damnation awaits them so all they can do is continue to walk forward, dragging their enemies with them so they may all burn in hell together. A beautiful, tragic tale of revenge and suffering for onlookers to marvel upon.**_

Akira thought he was ready, but hearing Arsene explain it, and with such a vicious smile, it made him feel...angry. Sitting up he looked down to find his hands had begun to curl into fists. An unexplained sense of rage overtook. _"And what's my purpose in this? I'm supposed to just sit by and watch as he ruins countless other lives, his own included, and for what? When Shido and him are locked away that's supposed to make things better? Haru's father is still dead and so's Futaba's mother. Goro's mother is still dead too. Countless people have had their lives altered because of what Shido's done."_ Looking up at Arsene his eyes contained the cold fury he reserved only for his enemies. Arsene, as his Other Self, knew better than anyone when those eyes came out it meant Akira was done playing games. _"No, I refuse to just sit by and some bystander who goes, 'oh well, so tragic'. I...I may have decided to do that once before, but not again. Not this time. The choice I made back there that night, it wasn't a mistake."_

Turning around to face him Arsene's grin grew wider and if possible, more twisted. _**Then be the light in the darkness. As you've done to so many others be the light in the darkness that guides him. Like him, you've wondered that pitch-black abyss, and if you found a way out, surely you can guide him out as well.**_ Taking a mock bow Akira felt himself smirk. He never did grow tired of his Persona's antics. _**Be the light bringer that shines upon the despondent and condemned. For as long as you walk that path, I will remain as your faithful shadow, dragging all who stand before you into a scarlet and ebony-colored hell.**_

For the first time in the entire night Akira smiled at his Persona. Arsene disappeared from his sight leaving Akira and a stirring Morgana. A simple scratch behind the ears did the trick in lulling the black-furred feline back to sleep. In a matter of moments Akira joined Morgana, his dreams were blissful peaceful and quiet.

It wasn't until almost two hours later when he heard Sojiro screaming his name did he realize he'd tempted fate with his conversation with Arsene.

"AKIRA! YOU HAVE TO GET DOWN HERE! NOW!"

Snapping his eyes open the sixteen year-old threw off the sheets and ran for the stairs. His heart was pounding and his blood was racing. Even though he was only barely awake he knew one thing for sure-somewhere something had happened.

Once he was downstairs he saw Sojiro, Futaba, and Morgana all staring at the TV screen. It took only one look at their horrified faces to tell him something was wrong.

Futaba looked at him with wide, fearful eyes. She was still dressed in her pajamas indicating she'd jump in Sojiro's car without even bothering to get dressed. "A-A-Ake-Akechi...he...he...someone-"

He walked over and threw his arms around her out of brotherly instinct. As he comforted her he looked to the TV to see what new threat they'd have to deal with now.

 _"Still investigating the cause of the explosion. Though the Tokyo Police have refused to confirm anything, many are already suspecting fowl play. According to scattered eyewitness accounts the explosion took place somewhere between two and two-thirty last night. The epicenter of the blast is believed to have been the apartment of high school student and young detective, Goro Akechi."_

After that Akira's mind went completely and totally blank, as signified by his wide eyes. Futaba continued trembling in his arms; she wasn't the only one. _Goro._ He remembered the last time he saw him-he looked so angry and frustrated, but beneath the anger Akira knew there was a deep sense of fear. Goro didn't want to trust them, didn't want to believe there was anyone capable of accepting him for who and what he was. Akira had given up that fight believe it could be waged another day, now he was deeply regretting that thought. _What happened? Did Shido bug his phone? Follow him back home? Was he able to hear us when he called last night? Did he already have someone set up back at Goro's apartment because he failed to kill me?_ So many thoughts and variables whirled around Akira's head to the point he felt like he was standing in the middle of a tropical storm.

"They haven't found his body."

"What?"

When he looked up Sojiro's face was grim. He was trying to handle this the best he could, but it was clear this incident had thrown the older man for a whirl just as it did Akira. Fixing the two teens with a stern stare he spoke, "They haven't found Akechi's body. I've been following the news all morning. They've searched the wreckage, but they haven't found him or a corpse. That must mean he's still alive, right?"

Though he felt Futaba begin to relax in his arms Akira wasn't ready to surrender to the feeling of relief. Something in his bones told him they were missing something. "Goro said last night that Shido had control over the police, even if they found him who's to say they won't kill him or lock him up on Shido's orders?"

Sojiro immediately caught onto his train of thought as evident by his darkening face. "Even still, they wouldn't be able to do that, not in public at least. Akechi's practically the city's golden boy so they can't just kill him in broad daylight. No, they'd..."

Akira's eyes shifted to Futaba. By now she was looking between the two of them waiting for them to fill her in. Morgana was looking at him as well. "Take Futaba back, get cleaned up, and meet up with us at Roppongi. I'll call the others and tell them to meet us there."

"You...you don't think he's dead, do you?" Futaba stuttered looking back at the TV. "I-I mean, S-Shido can't just kill him right? He's the only one with access to the Metaverse, the only one who could have stopped us."

"Futaba, I honestly don't know." It was more a growl than anything. At this point Akira felt a spark of anger rising up inside of him. "What I do know is we need to get down there and find out what the hell happened."

In minutes Sojiro and Futaba were gone with the promise they'd be back in less than twenty minutes. After that they'd drive down to the apartment and meet up with the others. Akira collapsed into a chair with Morgana in front of him.

"Akira, this isn't your fault." He tried to reason.

Akira wasn't sure how to take that. It was him who offered Goro an olive branch so they wouldn't end up killing each other. Apparently some divine power hadn't liked that and decided one of them had to die anyway. "Can you go get my phone, I'm pretty sure the others have already seen the news by now."

In what felt like a heartbeat the cat was gone and back, Akira's smartphone held within his jaws. The minute Akira powered it up he was flooded with a string of messages from his teammates.

 _ **Ann-Have you seen the news yet?! It's Akechi! Someone bombed his apartment!**_

 _ **Ryuji-A bomb! Dude, there was an effin' bomb at Akechi's place! No, really, an actual bomb! Has he called you!?**_

 _ **Yusuke-There's been an explosion at Akechi's apartment. I'm on my way there now and will await the rest of you.**_

 _ **Makoto-Sis and I are on our way to Akechi's apartment. There was a bomb explosion. I'll see the rest of you there.**_

 _ **Haur-Akira, I'm going to Akechi's apartment. I'm sure by now you've seen the news. Let me know if anyone's able to get into contact with him.**_

Akira knew what the unsettling feeling in his stomach was-it was his body's way to telling him the next couple of hours were going to be absolute hell. Looking back at the TV he realized by the end hell might not have been a strong enough description.

* * *

 _ **9:06 AM...**_

A part of Makoto didn't want the drive to the scene of the crime to end. She'd gone to bed the night before with possible the worst headache she'd ever had on account of what she'd heard at the cafe. When she woke up the next morning she was actually grateful to be able to go to school and hopefull forget about Goro's...confession until the afternoon, but she had to go and turn on the news. Now she was sitting beside her sister, her heart pounding in her chest as they drove through traffic. Once Sae saw it had been Goro's apartment she tried calling him at least ten times before realizing his phone was probably gone. It was through watching her that Makoto realized, in spite of everything Goro had confessed to, he'd grown on her sister.

Not to mention at the current moment he was their only lead to Shido and his conspiracy. They needed him just as much as he needed them, even if Goro was too stubborn to see it.

Makoto wondered if she could have turned out like him if she lost Sae as well as her parents. Angry and hostile to everyone and everything around her.

"Stay close to me. If what Akechi said last night is anything to go by, not everyone with a badge can be trusted." Sae finally said once they came to the apartment complex. An immense crowd had gathered around the building with the police having to do everything in their power to keep them at bay. It was pure chaos with countless news crews on site interviewing anyone they could. It wasn't just that Roppongi was a was a well-known district with little major criminal activity, but Goro's celebrity status had boosted the response from the media.

As Sae went off to ask the officers in charge for details Makoto searched the ever growing crowd for the others. Hundreds of faces, hundreds of voices, each of them possible being a spy for Shido and watching her. Slowly Makoto felt herself begin to sweat despite the brisk morning wind.

"Hey, down here."

Never did she think she'd be so happy to hear Morgana's voice. Looking down at his bright blue eyes she realized if he was here that meant Akira and Futaba, and most likely the others were there as well. She followed him through an ever-growing crowd of faces until she spoted her teammates.

"Makoto!" Akira called, leading the others he met up with her. Each of them were dressed in jackets and windbreakers, their hair undone and for Ryuji and Yusuke faint circles under their eyes. It was easy to tell the team had been hastily assembled. "What happened?"

"W-We don't know. S-Sis and I were about to have breakfast w-when I turned on the TV." Looking back at the building Makoto realized she could still smell the intoxicating stench of ashes and smoke. A solid hole had been blown in the side of the multi-story building. Though the fire department had long-since put the fire had the damages had been immense from what she could see. Makoto was sure they'd evacuated the entire building and were running a structural analysis on it to ensure a floor didn't collapse. "S-Sis tried to contact Akechi, b-but...but-"

"I tried calling him on my way over here as well." Yusuke revealed. The dark curtain that eclisped the painter's face didn't sit well with anyone in the group. "He...he didn't pick up."

 _Of course he didn't pick up. For all we know he's probably..._ Akira hated himself for even allowing that sentence to form in his head. However, it was a possibility he had to confront as the group's leader. Tightening his fists he looked back at the apartment complex. By now any evidence of what had happened had been collected and taken by the police, who he knew in his bones they couldn't trust. _Talk about a lousy way to wake up._ Removing his glasses he rubbed his eyelids in an attempt to relieve some of the stress and get his mind to focus. Through his hands he looked around them, watching for anyone who might have been listening in on the conversation. "There's supposed to be a small park about a block from here, we'll meet there to discuss our next move."

In one look everyone could tell that was the best and only plan Akira could come up in response to this unforeseen turn of events. Makoto nodded and headed back with Morgana to find her sister.

The walk over was silent and forboding. Even though the sun was out its warmth was medicore and hollow, somewhat reflecting the mood. As the group walked they found the streets were relatively desserted-the explosion had sucked up the attention of almost every person within the area. At least that made it easier for eight teenagers, an adult, and their cat to meet up at a collection of benches unseen.

"I... I tried talking to everyone I could." Sae began looking down at emerald grass. Her face was tightly contorted as were her fists. "They...they...CSI is still investigating the blast. From what they could put together the blast was centered on Akechi's...apartment." She could feel everyone instinctively tense. "They didn't find a body, they searched and searched, but aside from some splatches of blood..."

Ann was the one to finish her sentence and voice the thought everyone was thinking. "That means he's still out there."

Yusuke and Makoto looked up from the group to the collection of buildings and skyscrapers that surrounded them. Shibuya, Shinjuku, Minato, and for all they knew Chiyoda, each one was ridiculously huge, so huge it'd take them days to explore just one ward potentially losing Goro to Shido or his own injuries. Injuries, they Sae told them the blast had been centered in his apartment and they'd found blood they knew right then and there that he was wounded.

The pair looked back at the others and found they all were having similar thoughts. No one said a word as they tried and failed to come up with a plan of action.

"Is it...possible he'll try to contact us?" Haru offered. Her hands had tightened into a single ball and her eyes were beginning to turn a little red. "I-I mean, I know his phone was probably destroyed, but he should still have our numbers. Despite what he said last night he..."

While Makoto placed a hand over her shoulder to comfort her Akira sighed. "Goro's not stupid, even if he gets to a phone for all we know Shido's monitoring the airwaves. The minute he tries to contact us he'd trace the call and get to him before we could. He'd need a secure line to do that, and those are hard to find."

"So that just means we're going to have to find him." Ryuji spoke up.

Futaba wasn't prepared for the blond and her big brother figure's eyes to fall on her. "Um, why are you two looking at me like that?"

Briefly Akira's gray eyes flickered to Sae then back to Futaba. "Futaba, can you hack into the city's CCTV system? Or the police's communications network?"

The double take came from the hacker and prosecutor was almost enough give Akira his first smile of the day. "What?!"

"Listen, we don't have a lot of time, and as it stands for all we know Goro could be lying in an alley somewhere slowly bleading to death. Regardless of what we all think of him, isn't death the one thing we all agreed we'd never sink to?"

The black-haired teen's words cut through the group silencing any rising doubt or unease. One by one they all nodded in recognition that he had a point. Sae breathed out another irritated sigh as she leaded back into her bench seat.

"I'll keep an ear to the ground around the department. If the police really are on the take then that means as soon as they find Akechi they're going to turn him in to Shido." She said.

"That, or kill him and make it look like an accident or gang killing." Akira politely jabbed earning her a fierce glare from the older woman. "Look, I know you don't like this anymore than the rest of us, but we have to face the possibility save for a few people we're on our own."

"On our own? Akira, last night Goro told us Shido practically has the whole country in his pocket." Morgana whined jumping into Futaba's lap. At the moment he wished they could go back home so he could cuddle under the covers. The late fall air was colder than usual and he didn't like it one bit. "We're basing all of this on Akechi even being alive."

Collectively the Persona users bowed their heads in dark contemplation at what their mentor had said. That was another thought they'd wrestled with. Though their opinions regarding the brown-haired assassin were extremely mixed, especially after what happened the night before, those conflicted feelings had been washed away. For better or for worse they each realized Goro _had_ stuck his neck out for them, and apparently paid for it.

"He's alive."

"How do you know that, Ryuji?" Ann questioned looking to her fellow blond.

His fists were shaking, though if it was from anger or just his nerves no one knew. Ryuji's face was an equal condrum before he looked around the group. "I just do. That bastard, there's no way he'd let something like that kill him. I...I can't explain it, but I know he's out there. He's out there and we gott find 'em before Shido does."

A chilling wind blew over the park rustling the leaves creating a thin whislting throughout the area. With it Akira rose, his eyes shining with a familiar dark light his teammates and allies had come to know. "The that's what we're going to do. Whatever else we have, whatever's going on, we put it on hold until we find Goro."

* * *

 _ **10:14 AM...**_

"I asked you to kill him, not create a media circus!" Shido thundered at one of the two men standing before him. The fact that Terashima barely reacted at all to his tirade made his fury all the greater. If he had to guess the former Yakuza hitman seemed almost bored standing in front of him giving his "report" on what had happened. "You do realize one word and I can have you back in prison, locked away in the deepest darkest hole imaginable where you'll never see daylight again, correct?"

Terashima fought back the urge to roll his eyes. "If you did then all you'd have to catch Akechi and his merry band of losers is this short-bitch here, I can tell ya' that won't end well."

For the first time since being called in the second man showed a visible emotion-rage. The look he shot Terashima very much spoke of what he wanted to due to the man if Shido would allow him to act. "This whole mess could have been avoided if you'd done your job. I thought you were supposed to be a professional."

Fixing him with a sideways grin Terashima replied, "I am, but I'm also someone who lives for the moment. It's not like I left behind much evidence for anyone to pick up a trail, did I?"

"No, you just caused over five-hundred thousand yen in damages." Shido barked.

"Eh, you're going to be Prime Minister of Japan, I'm sure it's nothing you'll lose sleep over. Besides, technically shouldn't this crap fall under the mayor? You have him in your pocket too, don't 'cha?"

Shido was seriously beginning to wonder why on earth he allowed a man like Sanyu Terashima to be freed from his life imprisonment to serve him. The man was an anarchist at his core; even if he could follow orders and perform clean assassinations he still found ways to express himself. Shido thought it wouldn't factor in too much when he hired him to eliminate Akechi and his other enemies. As usual that plan had somewhat backfired, but Shido was nothing if not cautious. For that reason he had another who could serve him, one he knew would follow his orders to the letter and do so without too much of a fuss.

At thirty-eight years old Shinichi Hikawa had become exactly what he'd attempted to shape Goro into-the perfect tool. A veteran of not just the JSDF, but of multiple world conflicts Shido considered it nothing but good fortune he'd been able to enlist the man into his cause. From the moment Hikawa began work under him he'd given him results that made Shido's black heart flutter with joy. He was the one he trusted to get the job down, and he made sure Hikawa knew that.

"Sir, we'll begin searching the entire city. Rather he's hiding in the gutter or some abandoned building we'll find him." He staid stepping forward. When standing side by side he and Terashima couldn't have been further apart. Though an inch or so shorter than the latter he was no lease built in terms of muscle, granted between the two of them Hikawa was more on the lean side. Like Terashima he too was dressed properly, but the auras of the two men were polar opposite. Terashima radiated violence and danger like the Yakuza enforcer he still was, while Hikawa looked and carried himself with an air of grace as one would have expected from a contract hitman. A true hitman. His dark red hair was faintly similar to Akechi's, but more combed and better kept. Contrasting to the boy's almost blood-colored eyes Hikawa's were coppery yellow; perhaps they were his most standout feature.

"Scour the city, you'll have the police and law enforcement inform you of any tip offs. Once you find him, contact me. Use whatever methods you have to in order to bring him in, but _do not_ make a scene out of it." Behind his orange glasses murderous fury burned, and every last trace of it was directed at Terashima. "Dismissed."

Silence hung between the air of the two as they turned and boarded the elevator. Once the doors slid shut Hikawa made his voice known.

"If you screw up again, I will kill you."

Terashima chuckled at the unveiled malice lacing the younger assassin's voice. "You'll try, Shini-chan, you'll try."

Hikawa felt his blood boil at the mention of his nickname. If not for the confined space he would have struck his criminal partner and then proceed to choke the life out of him. The only thing would have been so easy and satisfying he could almost picture it. "Just stay the hell out of my way."

"Hey, last I checked I'm on the payroll too."

"The start acting like it! You're a professional, for God's sake! What kind of professional does what you did last night?" The redhead snarled.

Terashima shrugged. "I'm a hunter, I live for the thrill of the hunt, can you blame me?"

Containing his anger before another outburst could break out Hikawa narrowed his eyes at him. "I might buy that if the prey was worth it. What you're hunting is a half-pint brat who's merely gotten lucky up until now. I fail to see how someone like him could count of as a worthy hunt."

"He's gotten this far, hasn't he?"

"He's gotten lucky." He retorted. "It doesn't matter if he has one Persona or ten, in the end it won't make much difference." The elevator dinged and the door slid open revealing the lobby area of the building. Hikawa took one step forward then stopped. "What is it about that boy that you found so fascinating?"

Terashima smirked and leaned back against the wall. Instead of cruelty and sarcasm his smile was almost...peaceful. "I just see a lot of myself in the kid. You've read his file, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about., he's a little like you too."

The former soldier remained totally silent as he began his walk through the lobby towards the door. Giving another dark chuckle Terashima followed closely behind him. His "partner's" silence had more spoken louder and more clearly than any words could have.

* * *

Back in his office Shido was once again staring down two of his subordinates. Unlike the previous two these men weren't paid conscripts, nor were outsiders to his plans.

Genta Mitsumoto, Superintendent General of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police. Over thirty years on the police force, and it showed in his face and when he spoke. Mitsumoto's hair had gone completely gray and the wrinkles on his face were undeniable. "Shido-san, I'm assuming you have a list of places we can start looking?"

Mitsumoto also had a tongue sharper than any blade imaginable, and showed no fear in wielding it against anyone he saw fit. Even the man who was his superior in everything but name.

"If you're as close as everyone says you are then you should already know where to look." Through the years he'd reduced countless men and women to cowering wretches with his piercing glare. Mitsumoto was not among them. Not matter how fiercely he glared or yelled the hazel-eyed superintendent general never once retreated, he stood his ground and faced Shido's wrath in all its glory. In a way he could respect that.

"Sir, in regards to Sae Niijima, what should we do about her?" The second man questioned. Though Mitsumoto was capable and loyal to his dream of creating a peaceful utopia he was too strong-willed. Shido didn't like that. Luckily, that wasn't the case with Satoru Esaki, no, he was one-hundred percent loyal to him and his cabal. Younger than his superior by almost ten years his chocolate-brown hair still retained a fair amount of its color. He too possessed a strong will, strong enough when Mitsumoto's gaze flickered to him he barely batted an eye. "She more than likely has at least deduced some of our plans so she may become a problem."

"If she does then we'll simply arrange for her to have an accident, won't we?" Quick as always Mitsumoto's response both soothed and intrigued both men. "Sae Niijima, distingushed as she is, is still only one woman. One with a mountain of dirt we can bring forth at any time should she become a threat. Another relic of an old and stagnant system to be sweeped around, right, Shido-san?"

With narrowed brown eyes Satoru watched the showdown between his superior officer and the man he'd pledged his loyalty to. He'd grown used to these silent stare downs between the two men. It was strange, despite technical being on the same side and having the same goals of reforming the country, the two of them spent more time squaring off against each other than they did their enemies. Frankly Satoru wasn't that surprised. He'd known Mitsumoto for the better part of twenty-five years, he doubted even God himself descending from Heaven and putting him on trial would phase the man. If such a thing ever did happen Satoru knew Mitsumoto would turn the whole thing back on God and put _Him_ on trial. That was always the vibe he got from the man who'd risen above personal loss and tragedy to become the metropolitan police's Superintendent General. Even Shido, for all the mighty and bluster he put on, seemed weary of challenging a man almost twenty years his elder, and far more seasoned than him.

Shido ran the odds behind his orange-tinted glasses. Once again he knew it was better to let this matter go for the moment than risk getting bogged down in another argument. Aside from that a quick look at his watch told him he was running short on time. "Fine then. You two, keep her, and anyone else who might interfere off the trail. Both of you know what to do if anyone gets too close to this. The election's in less than a month and I've worked too hard to have things fall to pieces."

"We assure you, Shido-san, we will end this without any major uproar." Mitsumoto answered bowing his head just as Satoru did.

"Good, then leave. I have places to be and so do you two." The second they were gone he heard his phone beginning to ring. "I had a feeling you were going to call." Was the first thing he said pressing the answering button. "Good news, I'm assuming?"

"Yes, quite." Came the male voice from the other end of the line. "Another batch of recruits made it through. It'll take two days or so to get them ready to enter the Metaverse."

"Seen the news I take it?" Shido inquired.

"The news, the radio, Tweeter. Quite the show if I must say."

"I'd rather you not. I'll be leaving for the facility in a few minutes so prepare a demonstration."

"Of course, Shido-san, we'll have one set up by the time you arrive."

Briefly turning to the window he looked out at the semi-clear sky. Beyond his ivory tower lay a vast city his former pawn was hiding out in. Shido knew Akechi more than likely had a few places to hide out at if things got rough, but it wouldn't make much difference in the end. He had the entire city, and over eighty-percent of the country in his grasp. One way or another he'd find him, and when he did he'd send Akechi off to join his mother. It'd be a mercy really, deep down the boy had longed to see his mother and Shido would grant his wish. He was after all, a benevolent man.

* * *

 _ **1:21 PM...**_

 _Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone._

That one word had repeated itself over and over again inside of his head. He remembered the exact moment his mind went blank save for that thought. It was...strange, surreal one could say. Goro had fumbled his way down the stairwell into the back of the apartment building. Alarms were ringing all over the building and hundreds of voices were sounding off like a hive of angry bees. It was through some miracle he stumbled out of the way his way down the street, far away from the place he'd come to call home for the last two and a half years.

Watching the fire burn Goro felt something inside of him snap, no, multiple things. It was like seeing a violin's strings come undone one after another. He remembered sinking to his news as his eyes reflected the bright orange and red glow of the fire consuming not just his apartment, but most likely the entire floor it was on. The blaze was a hot red line that cut the multi-story building into two; any second now Goro wouldn't have been surprised if the supports gave out and it began collapsing.

If that did happened, he would have screamed louder. Throwing his head back he roared to the empty darkness above him. He cursed God. He cursed the Devil. He cursed whatever power that existed for so cruelly railroading him, again.

All his files, his pile of evidence, everything he was going to use to put Shido and his cronies away for life.

All of it was gone.

Goro didn't quite remember when he left, all he knew was he'd started walking and didn't stop until he felt his legs about to give out under him. He slumped against the wall of some backstreet alley and remained there until sunrise. All he could smell was his own blood and all he could feel was a faint numbness all across his body.

 _ **You have to move. Get up, run.**_

"Where, Robin?" He didn't snarl, he was too tired for that.

 _ **Where else? Leblanc? It's the only safe haven you have left now.**_

At that Goro gave a harsh laugh. It was a little painful given the injuries he'd sustained, but he didn't care about the aching in his chest. "Really? You want me to go to Leblanc? Hah, after an explosion like that my face is going to be plastered all over the news! If someone so much catches a glimpse of me they'll call it in! Besides...Mitsumoto-san...he...he..."

 _ **He sold you out.**_ Loki's voice was harsh and unrelentless. Robin Hood may have been willing to take the slow and easy approach, but Loki wasn't, he never did. _**Yes, the man you'd come to view as something of a second father sold you out, get over it. You knew deep down inside it was probably going to come down to between you and him, this doesn't change that. It just moves things along.**_

Grunting he found the strength to sit up. Peering down at his arms he found the multiple burns that laced across them had stopped bleeding, they just stung now. Moving them caused sparks of pain to dance along his nerves making him wince with almost every motion. "I...I can't go to Leblanc. It's too dangerous a trip to make. Besides...I...for all I know Terashima could trail me there. The last thing I want is Sakura-san losing his shop after everything he's had to go through, and I sure as hell can't have him finding the others. No, I have to rule Leblanc out."

 _ **Then where else can you go?**_ Robin Hood questioned after a moment of silence.

Goro looked at his burnt forearms. Moving his fingers made him wince in pain, but again, he fought through it. "I don't know, but for now I gotta get as far from here as possible. I gotta keep moving." To do that he was going to need to treat his wounds. That was far easier said than done. Ann and Morgana weren't there nor were they in the Metaverse, not to mention Goro himself didn't have any supplies on him. At the current moment all he had were a pair of burnt sweat pants and t-shirt, neither of which would keep him warm for long in the mid-November air.

Through the pain he began walking, sliding and out of the back alleys, never once stepping into the mainstreets. Each step he took made his feet burn and his legs groan in protest; he hadn't eaten anything in hours so his stomach was beginning to growl. Goro pushed all of those thing sto the back of his mind so he could keep moving forward. His eyes remained narrow and alert as did all of his other senses. If there was even the fainest distubrance he snapped his head to it for fear of trouble having found him.

 _I guess this is how I'm gonna go paranoid._ Where his thoughts after watching a stray cat that had been tailing him scurry off upon being faced with his gaze.

After a while he got used to the numbing pain all over his body. The chilling wind that blew through the city eventually lost its effect as he walked and walked, remaining in the shadows of multiple skyscrapers, shops, and bridges. Through it all he kept running the information he'd jotted down in journals and binders back at his apartment. He may not have had it all on paper anymore, but if he could keep reciting the information when he did find something to write with he could write it all done.

 _ **A pity you don't have your phone with you. Sure Mementos is dangerous, but at least then you could warp and close some distance between you and whatever place you're trying to get to.**_

Goro wasn't surprised when Loki pipped in as he chose to take a break. What was worse was he actually thought he had a point. Sure he'd have no idea where he'd come out, but it would have beat walking, plus he would have been able to at least heal some of his injuries. Biting his lips he gathered his strength and continued pushing onwards. He couldn't think about what-ifs like that, if he did then he'd already lost the fight for survival. Keeping time was a lost cause as every passing second felt like an eternity. Through secret glances and observation To his relief he managed to wonder into a string of apartment complexes. It was late into the afternoon and from what he could tell adults were at work, kids were either at school or cutting it in favor of some personal engagement. It was perfect.

"I can't believe I'm doing this." He growled as he began searching through the donations bin set up outside one of the apartment complexes.

 _ **Well, life has a way of throwing ya' curveballs. Take it from us, right, Robby?**_

 _ **Just focus on finding something that'll keep you warm-a jacket, a coat, it doesn't matter if it's too big, that might actually help.**_

As much as he hated to admit it, Robin Hood was right. When he first heard of this district-wide donation drive he'd quietly chuckled at how little a difference it'd make. Every apartment building was to have a minium of at least five donation bins that were collected at the end of the week and distributed to the needy. Goro never once thought he'd be amongst that group.

Since it was Tuesday he was both in, and out of luck. Most of the clothes he'd sorted through belonged either to women or little children. His teeth gnashed as he threw aside old and tattered baby clothes, shorts, and even bras. Especially the bras. Those gave him unwanted flashbacks. After some time his search yielded some results. A pair of jeans that were a tad smaller than he would have liked, but they would work. After that he managed to find a sweatshirt and a jacket, both of which appeared to have food stains on them. Goro was annoyed, but at least it'd be enough for him to get by until he could figure out his next move. Now all he needed were some shoes.

 _ **KINK!**_

Feeling all his hairs stand up on end Goro spun around to face the surrounding area. His wide-red eyes scanned the area for anything out of the ordinary. For all intents and purposes the alleyway was deserted save for the ocassional flock of birds. Goro heard his heart thundering in his chest as the seconds ticked by like clockwork. Sweat formed on his skin and his legs shoke like leaves.

 _ **Maybe this is how you become paranoid. Be calm, you're alone.**_ Loki whispered in his ear.

"How the hell do you know that?" Goro snapped back keeping his voice low.

 _ **While Robby and I may be limited to your head, but we ARE supernatural entities whose very existence breaks the laws of known physics and reason. Is it too much to have a little faith in us?**_

 _ **You know we've already covered enough for your. Think back to when Terashima destroyed your apartment if you think we're lying.**_

Goro didn't think they were lying to him. Matter of fact, they never lied to him, even Loki. Rather than thanking them he moved onto the next bin hoping to find the last of the items he needed. He did.

"First time in years that I've worn sneakers." Like with his other clothes they didn't exactly fit as much as he would have liked, but they would do. In addition to them he found a a brown cap he could throw over his head. With that and a hood he'd hopefully be able to pass through the masses unnoticed. Before leaving he took a minute to look back at his hands. Robin and Loki, through some magical means, that at least managed to hauls the bleeding, but the charred patches of skin remained. "So this is how gutter trash feels." Grabbing random articles of clothing he closed the bin and took his leave back into the shadows.

First he bandaged his arms. Tearing apart bedsheets and shirts he managed to fashion a set of wrappings that would at least hide his wounds from wondering eyes. If he kept his hands in his pockets it'd be all the better. By the time he was finished only the tips of his fingers were visible, and that was exactly how he liked it. After that he ditched his sleepware. It was embarrassing as hell having to change in the middle of some back alley with God knew who or what potentially watching him, which was why Goro made sure to do it as quickly as possible.

 _ **Eh, not your best look ever, but it'll do.**_

"That's all I'm asking for."

Black and blue sneakers that were a size too small hugged his feet. Dark blue jeans that stopped barely a centimeter past his ankles. A dark red sweatshirt with various stains across the back and left side, and lastly a somewhat oversized black windbreaker with gray streaks running across the arms. All of it was mismatched, but as Loki had said, it'd do.

 _ **You'd be best to get ready of your old clothes.**_ Robin offered looking him over in his etheral form.

Spying a dumpster a little down to his right he balled up his shirt and pants. With a single toss he threw them inside and walked away. With any luck if they were discovered he'd be long gone, or whoever did find them wouldn't care enough to call it in. Slipping on the cap his head immediately began to itch.

 _ **So, do you have any idea where it is you're going? Wondering around Tokyo isn't exactly a good plan.**_ His archer-Persona asked as he began making his way down to a passage that would surely take him into the main street.

"Akira mentioned he got his medical supplies from some doctor in Yongen-Jaya. Takemi Medical or something like that. If I can get there then...maybe..."

 _ **That's a long walk from here. You'll have to take the train. You'll need money for that.**_ Robin hood remarked. No sooner had he finished speaking did Goro hear his stomach begin to growl for what was probably the tenth time in the last three hours.

"One problem at a time, Robin. One problem at a time." He spoke through clenched teeth. Throwing up his hood he stepped onto one of the many streets. Around him men and women of all ages were moving along as if there was nothing wrong. Some of them were on their phones, some weren't. The most important thing was none of them batted Goro's ragid appearance a second glance. He was invisible, and for once, that thought put his heart at ease.

* * *

 **So Goro's got a destination in mind. Dozens of miles across Tokyo with no food or money and everyone looking for him. It won't be fun, and that's the point. This chapter was really to set the tone of how this story is going to play out-Shido is not going to play games in trying to eliminate the Phantom Thieves, and nor are his cronies going to be shy about a little collateral damage along the way. Speaking of cronies this chapter formally introduced Shido's new enforcers for this story: Sanyu Terashima and Shinichi Hikawa. If you have any lingering fears about OCs, get them out now and let me know and I'll do what I can. They're there because Persona 5's story is a little hard to work without the PTs being pursued by some kind of killer beholden to the big bad. That, and it always sort of bothered me how the Conspiracy was mostly faceless with Shido and a few throwaway characters. Here I'm going to fill out their numbers a little. Without giving too much away I'll say this about Terahsima and Hikawa, they're to Goro what Goro is to Akira, and to an extent Naoto from Persona 4. Also they're the two police figures, but more about them later.**

 **Have a happy Easter weekend, everyone!**


	7. Chapter 6-Starless Sky Pt2

**I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 6-Starless Sky Pt.2**

 _ **November 15**_ _ **th**_ _ **, late evening…**_

Twelve, twelve times he'd heard his stomach growl, each time a little louder than the last. With all his strength Goro bit down the growing urge to feed in favor of moving forward, despite still not knowing where he was going. His eyes shifted to every bystander passing him by. None of them seemed to give him a second glance, though a few were able to catch the thinly contained malice he hid behind a stony frown and clenched shoulders. They wisely moved out of his way as he drew closer making his walk somewhat easier. In his head Robin and Loki reminded him that he couldn't keep ignoring the howling of his stomach forever. Goro knew that, he also knew he couldn't keep going without so much as a cent on him. He needed food and money, the problem was in order to get the former he'd need the latter, and getting the latter was most definitely not easy.

Goro knew in his heart what he was going to have to do. The only real question was would he be able to pull the act off and not get caught. That, and would his dignity be able to handle yet another crushing blow.

Another painful growl and he realizes at this point the questions plaguing him weren't matters of dignity and self-worth, they were of survival. Somewhere inside he felt his hatred for Shido burn just a little hotter; it gave him warmth as another cold gale blew through the streets. While others huddled against the chilling winds Goro felt the inner flame in his chest stave off the cold air.

Eventually breaking off into the backstreets once again found himself prowling the alleys like some rogue on the run. Without breaking his stride he took a moment to mentally laugh at how true that summarization was, even if it did turn his stomach.

 _ **Is it preferable to have lived out the rest of your life rotting in some prison cell without ever having to know want?**_

 _No, Robin._ A heavy mental sigh escaped him. Briefly Goro let his eyes wonder upwards to the sky. The light blue was rapidly darkening with streaks of red and orange stretching outwards. _I guess for a little while longer I wanted to keep living up the mirage. Does that make this karma?_

 _ **Only the beginning, I'm afraid.**_ His tone was comforting, which was exactly what Goro felt he needed to hear at a time like this. _**No need to worry, I'm sure you can weather it. Since day one you've resolved to hold firm come what may, haven't you?**_

 _ **Except we haven't even seen the worst of what karma's going to throw at us. Who knows, she may even throw a good sucker punch at us.**_ Shot back the darker of the two mental entities that inhabited Goro's mind. The trickster's words sent a silent chill up Goro's spine upon the realization that Loki had a point. He _didn't_ know everything fate was going to throw his way. Over and over again, he'd told himself he could handle it, but now, as he walked the back alleys of Tokyo, he wasn't so sure. _**Regardless, Robby's right. You gotta tough up, kiddo. From here on out things are most certainly going to start heating up.**_

"You know I hate it when you call me that." Since no one was around he figured it wouldn't hurt to let his response be vocal. Worst case scenario he was dismissed as just another angry guy going down the street. "I'm not a kid, not anymore. I haven't been one since that day."

 _ **Ah, yes, THAT day. You've certainly come a long way since then, or have you?**_ Goro couldn't see it, but he could feel Loki's venomous smile upon him. It made him stop dead in his tracks. _**Do you think she'd be proud of this? Do you think she'd shed a tear how her precious little boy has been reduced to a homeless drifter on the run from almost everyone he knows?**_

As usual Robin Hood launched into a vicious rant against the horned deity, but Goro wasn't paying attention to either of them. Even their voices became little more than distant chatter, no different from the hundreds he passed as he was walking earlier. Looking back on the darkening street Goro realized it would only a handful of the night lights had begun to come on. The path he'd walked down was growing darker by the second, with only a handful of lights activating to illuminate the darkness. He knew in less than an hour the entire alley would be almost completely submerged in darkness with little "islands" of light providing refuge. Ironically those same places would make him steak out like a sore thumb. He couldn't hide in the light, not anymore. Turning his back to the sky he wondered if the moon would be out. If so would he be able to see it? Would the view be as good as it was from his apartment?

The view had always been decent from the tiny apartment he shared with his mother. Often when the moon was full he found himself remembering those nights his mother would allow him to sit in her lap and read bedtime stories until they both fell asleep together, the moon the only witness to their mother-son bonding. Some nights he fell asleep first, when he did he wondered what did his mother think, looking at the pale moon that shined a light upon them. Looking back, he couldn't help but hate the younger him for falling asleep and leaving his mother alone with the thoughts of depression and disaster and eventually drove her to kill herself.

His stomach growled again, telling him to get a move on. He could contemplate his past and future _after_ he'd put something in his stomach. Running another hand over his face he faced forward and continued his silent journey. There still was no clear destination, but Goro had an idea of where he could stop to rest.

* * *

 _ **8:45 PM…**_

Goro knew what it was like to be hungry. Countless times during his time in orphanages and foster homes he'd gone day and night without proper nourishment. From time to time there was a snake here and there, but the void in his stomach remained, and even if filled, it returned hours later. As Goro looked back at those times he realized he should have been grateful for them, the memory of those hard times helped him get through the grueling present he was now living through.

With the night in full swing all the stores and restaurants had begun cooking for dinner. A hundred different smells fluttered across his nose, and each one seemed more tantalizing than the last. All of them made Goro's stomach howl like a wolf before a full moon. Doing his best to muzzle the beast he picked up his pace. In order to eat he needed money, and as it stood there was only one way to get that.

Breaking away from the crowd again he prowled the backstreets where the lights were dim and the smell of cooked meat, fish, chicken, and such, were little more than distant lingering. Instead, darkness was all around him, the ground was dirty with wrappings, bottles and cans, piles of crap, and poodles of liquids he really didn't want to step in. The new myriad of smells that assaulted his nose revolting, the sort that would have made his stomach turn if it had any contents to churn. Normally he wouldn't have been caught dead in such places like this, yet it was by stinking to places like this he hoped to remain alive. He'd scouted so of the shops and guessed those that connected to the back alleys, where the dumpsters were, at this time he was sure garbage was being disposed of at a frequent pace. His getaway was going to have to be clean, if he was caught Goro didn't even want to begin how to imagine how the fallout would look.

He made sure it wasn't sushi. As much as he'd wanted to, he simply couldn't bring himself to rob some waiter working at a sushi restaurant. It wasn't out of anything sentimental as he's sure the others would have thought, it was because the second he caught a whiff of the sweet, sweet, fish being cooked, boiled, and seasoned, what fragile layer of control he'd maintained would break down. Not to mention Goro was almost sure he'd have tantalizing dreams of eating salmon, tuna, yellow tail, and striped base. All of this of course would of course leave him waking up with a howling stomach.

 _ **What was the last thing you ate anyway? Right about now I'm sure wishing you'd at least ate something while at Sakura's.**_

Goro growled an order of mental silence to his wicked-tongued Persona as he continued scouring the back alleys until he saw in the distant a figure. Immediately hugging the wall he watched the figure, a male in his mid-twenties, approach one of the dumpsters on the opposite wall. He heard a series of grumbling before dumping a large garbage sack into the dark green dumpster. The echoing sound resonated within Goro's skull, like a bell. He knew he had once chance and if he got this wrong then he was either going to be going hungry tonight, or he was going to jail, and then to hell.

 _ **Oh, come on! What the hell is this?**_ Loki whined, materializing behind him. One of his hands came down over his hand in a soft, yet firm grip that made Goro's hair stand on end. His insidious voice snarled into his ear, _**Why are you sneaking around like this? Better yet, why so nervous? You've done this done this a hundred times before. What's the point of trembling in fear now?**_

"This is different, this isn't the Metaverse." The brown-haired teenager snarled.

 _ **So just because you don't have a mask on you believe you're powerless? That you can't be that same person?**_

His eye twitched hearing Robin Hood had now joined the conversation. "It's not like I can kill him if things go south."

 _ **The fact you're even entertaining the idea of things going south is showing how you need a mask, either mine or Robby's, to feel powerful. Capable of doing what needs to be done.**_ Loki chided. Nearly ten feet away he heard a series of noises coming from the backdoor. Someone was going to be coming back out, and soon. _**You don't need a mask, or some fancy custom, because the person behind both of them is YOU. You are the one that pulls the trigger, swings the blade, and waltzes out of danger's way. That will never change, rather you're garbed in my dark armor.**_

 _ **Or my white clothe.**_ Robin Hood answered placing a hand on Goro's shoulder.

The archer and god were united in unison, and from their union Goro felt a strange surge of confidence. The night air which at one point had seemed nearly suffocating not felt almost like a gentle breeze, the likes of which he deeply inhaled. Gone was the foul stench of the garbage around him. His mind was clear and his eyes focused as the door swung open and out came his target.

Silently as he could he covered the distance between him and the older male. He was so engrossed with his duty, and the music blaring in his ears he never noticed the young assassin coming upon him.

Eyes flashing wide Goro threw his left hand over his target's mouth while the other coiled around his neck. The struggle lasted for barely half a second. From his hands the two garbage bags fell to the ground with joint thuds. Keeping his hold firm and his senses alert Goro dragged his struggling prey back into the darkness, far away from the light of the backdoor.

It took almost twenty seconds for the struggling to come to an end. Unconscious the man went slack in his arms allowing Goro to lower him to the ground. He'd wake up with a case of bad breath, but he'd count his blessings he was alive, or at least Goro hoped he would. Without hesitation he reached into his pockets feeling around for a wallet; in the right pocket he found it and quickly pulled it out. Casting quick cautionary glance at the door then back to the wallet he reached in and pulled out all the yen he could. It'd be too risky to take any credit cards, not to mention Goro wasn't quite ready to sink that low just yet.

Rolling up the money he stuffed it into his pockets then began dragging the unconscious waiter towards the wall. He'd be awake in a couple of minutes, either by his own hand or by the hand of a co-worker wondering what's taking him so long. Whichever one it was Goro would be long gone by the time that happened.

Before he even knew it he was walking back the way he came. He threw one last glance backwards to see if the waiter was still slumped up against the wall, he was. Facing forward he took the next right he came up upon, with the maze of back alleys and numbers of people around it'd be easy for him to disappear, and with money in hand he could finally quell the rumbling in his stomach.

 _ **See, now that wasn't so hard, was it?**_ Loki cackled throwing a phantasmal arm over his shoulders.

 _ **Just don't make a habit of this. Count how much you have when you get the chance to. Spend only what you need to, and save the rest.**_

He wished he could tell Robin he needed need the reminder, but a part of him did. With money in hand he could eat, but even so, it wouldn't be the same. Dressed as he was he'd stick out like a sore thumb if he sat down and ate. No, more than that, a part of him didn't _want_ to sit down in some fast foot joint and pig out.

All around him watching eyes materialized making his skin crawl. Quickly withdrawing the wad of cash of cash he'd stolen he ran a quickly analysis of it. In total he had a little over five thousand yen on hand. Not exactly much, but it'd buy him a decent enough meal for the night.

Realizing the issue of dinner had been solved Goro felt his mind begin to shift to his next dilemma-where the hell was he going to sleep?

"One step at a time, Goro, one step at a time." He growled gnashing his teeth.

* * *

He couldn't help but find it ironic that of all the places he could have gone to eat, he chose Big Bang Banger. It was absolutely ludicrous given how he'd killed Okumura's Food's president, but it was that or chicken or fish, neither of which he was in the mood for. Plus, he needed something quick and easy to eat. A burger would satisfy him for the night, and he'd plan for the next morning accordingly.

The place was about as packed as Goro would have expected on a weekend night. As he expected, his weird wardrobe drew a few odd looks, but over all he was able to place his order and managed to wait in patient silence. He'd be lucky if no one called the police because he looked suspicious. As he waited Goro allowed his eyes to drift over to the TV stationed on the far left wall. Naturally, the bombing of his apartment and his disappearance was still top news, as were the Phantom Thieves.

 _Knowing Shido, he's going to pin what happened on them. It'd be too coinvent. Okumura may have been an ass, but he was still a person, and I'm Tokyo's golden boy._ His face remained grim as he attempted to put all the pieces together. It was obvious once Shido caught him his death was going to be made to look like a hit job, either by the Phantom Thieves or some other perceived enemy of his bald-headed father. He wished he had access to his notes, or a computer, or any of his old resources, having them would have made putting the pieces of the puzzle together easier. That, and a full stomach. _How long were you planning that, Shido? Since I moved in? Since last year? Were you watching it form some hidden camera? Did you get a good laugh out of it thinking you'd killed me?_ With each thought Goro felt his anger threatening to break, were it not for the sound of his number being called he knew he was going to have to excuse himself to least he have a public outburst. Smelling the freshly cooked burger made Goro's stomach uncharacteristically howl in hunger.

"Enjoy your meal." The female clerk said handing him his bag with a cheerful smile.

Goro hoped his blush wasn't as prominent as he feared it was.

 _ **You know, she was kind of cute**_ _._ Loki chuckled.

"Can it, horn-head."

Tightly clenching the bag and downing portions of his soda Goro looked around for a quiet place to enjoy his meal. A little ways down the street lay a collection of benches and tables he could sit and eat at. Allowing his shoulders to sag if just a little he made his way over to one of the tables near the edge of the lot he sat down and took out his triple paddy burger. Barely a second passed before he was biting into it like a starving animal, which at that point he probably was.

 _ **Slow down, you can always go back and order more.**_

 _No, I can't. Going in there once was risky enough already, besides, I'm not going back in there looking like some thug who only just now got enough money to eat._

 _ **Still trying to hold onto your pride, that's pretty damn impressive.**_

 _ **Loki, please.**_

 _ **What? I'm just giving the kid credit where it's due. He's got a point though, if he does he'll keep running the risk of being spotted. That's going to make traveling difficult. Didn't Akira say that clinic was in Yongen-Jaya, that's hundreds of miles across the city. You'll need to catch a few trains in order to get that far.**_

Goro already knew that. The problem was trains had people, and cameras, neither of which he could trust at the current moment. Shido had firm control over the Tokyo's day-to-day operations, including the city's CCTV cameras. If he made so much as one slip up he knew he'd be a dead man. Buses carried the same problem, with the added annoyance of potentially having to share a seat with undesirable people, and listen to the daily grumble of bystanders on their way to and from work and whatever. In his current state Goro wasn't sure he had the patience for that. Times like this he wished he had access to his bike, or any bike at all. Sure it would have been a long and somewhat exhausting trip, but at least he would have been able to enjoy himself.

"This stuff seemed a lot cooler in the movies." He grumbled pausing in his eating.

 _ **Sadly, this is real life.**_ Robin offered doing his best to sound supportive. _**I'm afraid you may have to chance it, either the subway or the bus. Whichever one you choose, you'll just have to be extra careful in how you proceed.**_

The British archer was right. Supporting his hand on his bare palm he tried to remember which subway lines ran where and if he could catch them. Though he finally had a little energy he knew trying to push himself through the night was just asking for disaster. Faintly biting his lip he realized for better or for worse he was going to have to sleep out on the streets, not in the back of a police car or crappy bed, but on the real, hard and cold ground. "I can't believe this. Of all the ways for things to go…" He whispered feeling his blood tickle his tongue causing him to ease up. "I'll check the transit lines tomorrow, early, that should give an edge."

 _ **Like Robby said, you'll have to watch your steps. You never know who could be an enemy, or who could sale you out.**_

 _ **Loki,**_ Robin Hood snarled.

 _No, no, it's…it's okay. He's right._ It wasn't okay, it was far from okay, but Loki was right. At this point trust was a double-edged sword, and paranoia was now his closest friend. _Wish I had some kind of alarm so I could get up on time._

 _ **Hey, what are we? Chopped liver? Just because we can't manifest beside you to shoot arrows and crap doesn't mean we're useless.**_ Loki's voice was filled with mock hurt, the kind Goro had gotten used hearing.

 _ **This may not be the Metaverse, but we still have our uses.**_ Robin Hood offered with an air of fondness in his voice. _**I know it'll be difficult, but you'll have to get through tonight.**_

At that Goro's shell broke. A silent, humorless laugh escaped his lips, _You're making this sound harder than it's going to be. I've been through worse than this._

 _ **Just because you've been through worse through doesn't mean this is going to be any less difficult.**_

As he'd done countless times before Goro tried to block out the truth behind Robin Hood's words, tried and failed. That worry tainted the rest of his meal no matter how much he tried to deny it. Even as the last vintages of the burger disappeared down his throat the rush of energy he felt from it wasn't as invigorating as he thought it would be.

 _ **You just had to go and break the kid's spirits, always such a party-pooper, aren't you Robin.**_

Robin's eyes narrowed at the accusation and his arms crossed his well-built chest. _**Would you rather I wait and not say anything until trouble is knocking at our door? When it's too late to do anything about it? Someone in this group has to be the realist.**_

… _I'll make it through tonight, and the night after if I have to._

Both Personas looked downwards at their master in mutual worry. As spiritual entities Goro's emotions were an open book to them. Sometimes that was both a good and a bad thing. Fittingly enough their feelings often bled into each other, sometimes at the worst possible moments. This was one of those times-when dread and sadness were spread out between the three of them. None of them spoke a word to the other two, what thoughts they did have were kept confined to themselves. Robin and Loki eventually took the hint and disappeared from Goro's mental vision leaving him alone at the table.

If at that point anyone caught a glimpse of Goro's eyes they would have seen distance, near complete apathy within his blood-colored orbs. The look remained on his face as he finished the last vintages of his meal, right down to the leftover crumbs. It was the first time in years Goro remembered literally eating every last bit of the food he'd been served. If his memory was accurate the last time he ate like this was back when he was still living in foster care. He would have laughed at the bitter irony if he had any sense of feeling left in his body.

Silently and emotionlessly he discarded the wrappings into the nearest trash ben and made his way down another alley way. It wasn't long before the brown-haired youth found himself in the familiar maze of alleyways, turns, and corners that were the backstreets of Akasaka. With the nightlife now in full swing they were actually a little crowded, tourists and the like, passing Goro like leaves in the wind. He did his best to keep his anxiety contained whenever someone came too close for comfort. A part of him wondered how long he was going to have to live like this. Another part of him was angry, angry at the Phantom Thieves, Akira in particular. He wanted to curse him, hit him, hurt him. Being around him had made Goro soft. If they hadn't met each other this wouldn't have happened, he wouldn't have been in this situation. However, if his meeting with Akira had never happened, where would he be?

Sitting on some talk show talk doing another interview with a fake face and fake smile? Sitting back at home going over hundreds of notes for a bust he'd bet everything on? Would he ever have made it this far at all without the Phantom Thieves playing the villains he needed them to?

This thinking wasn't out of ordinary for him. He'd been in this place before-hating everyone and everything around him. Goro didn't realize he was laughing until he spotted a passerby looking at him strangely. Promptly shutting up he realized he was letting his emotions show. _I guess this is another thing I can chalk up to you, Akira. I haven't been this emotional since I was twelve, I'd like to ask you if you're proud of that._ Trying to imagine his black-haired rival's face Goro tried to picture what his response would be: a laugh, a smartass smirk, a philosophical speech, or just silence. From what he knew of Akira, it'd probably be silence. He seemed to have a knack for getting Goro to look inwardly when he really didn't want to. For a brief second he toyed with the mental projection of following through on his original plan and blowing Akira's brains out thus ending the entire debate once and for all.

 _But then what?_

Akira had come to him that afternoon on the fishing hole almost two days ago because he'd figured out Goro's game. That could only mean for whatever Goro had planned, he had a contingency plan. _Heh, but I guess that's what makes us rival. I make a move, you counter, and we keep going on and on until one of us wins. Except, you choose a different outcome, you didn't want to win if it meant stepping on, but you knew you couldn't let me win either. And that's how we found ourselves in this little mess, I'm wondering the streets of Akasaka and you're…_ Stopping at the middle of a crossroads waiting for the light to change he wondered for the first time exactly what Akira and the others were doing at the moment. Was it possible they were searching for him? Maybe even concerned for his safety? _No, no. The only reason they'd be worried is because I know all their identities, their homes, their faces. That's the only reason they'd even consider breaking a sweat out over me._ Once crossing sign gave the signal he joined the rest of the crowd in crossing the street. Drawing upon his memories of Leblanc he recalled the faces of each of his so-called teammates before slamming the door shut.

Pity, each and every one of them. Where as before they might have been looking at him with disgust, rage, and even horror, in the end, pity was what colored their faces. That was one reason why he knew he had to get out of the café then and there. He couldn't stand it, he hated it.

All that said, almost an hour after leaving Leblanc Goro felt almost…liberated. For two years he'd keep his true motivations hidden from everyone and everything, even Superintendent General Mitsumoto. In that small window of time, he bore a part of his true self to them. After so many years of keeping that side locked up, letting some of it out had been a little gratifying.

"I guess I can count that as one positive, it should make the trip to hell a little easier when my time comes."

Finding a place to sleep for the night was a little harder than he thought. Goro had to walk and walk until he could feel his feet burning until he found a narrow alley way that seemed relatively deserted. He'd long given up on finding a "clean alley" to sleep in, but he knew he needed privacy. On his journey through the poorer side of Tokyo he passed countless men and women along the shady streets, some of them were homeless like him, some were simply out spending the night for whatever reasons, and some of them had seemingly just passed out drunk in the streets. Goro hated those the most as they too, brought back too many childhood memories. Waking up to the smell of booze was the last thing he wanted.

 _Whoever knew finding a whole to sleep in on the streets would be this hard._ Sliding against the wall he wiped a layer of sweat of his face. Passing through a steam vent hadn't been the brightest idea, but it had somewhat energized him enough to keep him going towards this little safe spot. The alleyway was wide enough for him to stretch his legs, and if anyone walked by, they'd have enough room to walk around him. The lights above him weren't too blinding, and they illuminated just enough of the area on either side of him so he could make out when someone was approaching. Plastered along the walls was graffiti and faded posters. Rather than freshly cooked food all Goro was able to smell was rot, figuratively and literally. _What a place to end up in._

Crossing his legs he buried his hands in his pockets trying to look as miniscule as possible. If his luck held out he'd get an hour of sleep at best. Hopefully that hour would be enough for him to at least make of Minato tomorrow.

 _ **We'll wake you if anything happens.**_ His light-attributed Persona offered placing a hand on his shoulder as a sign of confidence.

 _ **Just as long as you're not too deep in your dreams. Don't worry though, if I have to I'll chase away the nightmares.**_ Came the response of his chaos-attributed Persona.

"Heh, how kind of you two."

It was times like this Goro was willing to admit, despite how annoying the pair could be, for all the emotional turmoil their words could throw him into, they were probably the closest thing to brothers he'd ever had. Even if one day he had to part with them he'd always be grateful for the support they offered. Knowing the archer and trickster would keep watch over him Goro allowed his eyes to shut and darkness to take him.

* * *

Birds, he'd always held something of a fascination with them. Perhaps it was their ability to fly, their wings granting them the freedom to go wherever they pleased that he envied. More times than he could count he'd woken up to the sound of birds chirping or peeking at his window, and fittingly enough, after waking he'd look out the window and watch them fly away.

As his eyes fluttered open he was greeted to the sight of a flock of birds peeking at the ground in front of him. Two caught his gaze, turned their heads, and stared back at him with their dark eyes. For a moment the teenager held their gaze until yawning and stretching causing the flock to fly away. Above his head he caught the faintest rays of sunlight streaking across the morning sky.

"Not as bad as it could have been." Goro muttered running his hands over his face. To his surprise his sleep had been nothing but an unending stream of blissful darkness. Compared to what he could have dreamed, that was a miracle. "I guess I should at least wash my face off. No need to look like a complete slob." A quick dip in a public restroom and he'd be good to go to the nearest train station.

After a quick stretch of all his limbs he looked to his right where he could faintly hear the sounds of morning traffic. Along the way he cracked his neck twice in hopes of shaking off the annoying stiffness that had creeped up upon him during the night. Just one of the many downsides of sleeping against a stone wall instead of a soft pillow. Above him another flock of birds rushed through the skies above him before scattering into the open air.

Goro arrived at the end of the alley way, but what stood before him was most definitely not a half-desolate street and traffic light. It was a building, an apartment complex to be precise. About twelve stories high with a two-story garage a visible to the left. In the pale morning light the building's faded paint job deeply contrasted to the shining gleam of the dozens of windows and screen doors. Even from across the street Goro could see dozens of people: adults and children, elderly and youth, moving about the building as if it were just another ordinary morning.

"This…can't be…" Trembling he twisted on his heels to look back at the alley way he'd come through. It was gone, replaced by a bustling street filled with people and cars moving along as if nothing were wrong. "What the hell is going on-" When he turned back a door stared back at him, a door with a letter number: _**D-74**_. Cold sweat poured down his forehead and arms, the baggy clothing he was wearing suddenly becoming more suffocating than warming as he'd hoped. Looking back one last time he found himself standing high above the ground, looking down below at the street. _Robin? Loki?_ Neither Persona answered him proving Goro's worst fears. "Great, of all the places, it had to be this one."

As he did so many times as a child he gripped and turned the knob on the door. He didn't need a key, he never did. Stepping into the dark hallway the first thing that hit Goro was the smell of blood, the iron-disgusting smell he'd grown accustomed to. Out of instinct his whole body went on alert even as his fingers felt around for the light switch, not fading when the light s came out illuminating the small hallway. To his right was an opening that he knew would lead to the living room, and further down the hallway he knew lay the kitchen, his room, his mother's room, and her study.

Silently walking hallway until he reached the first corner he peered into the darken living room. He couldn't see clearly enough in the darkness, but he saw bodies, multiple bodies, all piled up in the middle of the room where the living room table would have been. Flicking light cast by the TV cast an eerie glow over the lifeless corpses that had been piled up filling the entire apartment with a graveyard-like stench. Keeping his eyes away from the bodies he focused on the TV, at first it just appeared as static, but he caught glimpses of an image: a pair of hands gently cradling a globe with an eye in the center. Goro felt his eye begin to twitch and his hands ball into fists.

Amazingly his noise managed to pick up another smell over the rotting of corpses-pancakes. Breathing in through his noise he decided to cut through the living room, taking care to ignore the pile of bodies and pool of blood that took up so much space. Down a short hallway he found himself standing before a bright free curtain. Swiftly he pulled the fabric aside.

"Welcome home."

Shido's back was turned to him, his attention seemingly so whatever meal he was cooking. Instead of his usual black coat an apron had been wrapped around his neck.

Goro did his best to keep the emotional turmoil in his body at bay and keep his voice level. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"What? I have some time before I have to go in, I can't cook dinner for my son?"

The stunningly calm and cool tone of his voice made Goro want to throw aside the table and strangle the man. His backside was illuminated by the sun through the window stationed on his left side giving Goro a clear view of the man whose blood flowed through his veins.

"Are you disappointed the blast didn't kill me? It'd save you the trouble of having to depose of my body." He grounded out.

"You really think I'd go that far to kill you? My own son?"

"Your son who you eliminate all of them." He countered pointing at the pile of bodies stacked up behind him. "I know you value that thing flashing on the TV more than you could ever value me, or _her_. If you have to add me to that pile then you won't lose any sleep."

"Is that so? Is that what you think?"

He didn't know why he felt his body seize up at that simple question. Shutting his eyes tight he forced his body to respond, for the fire of rebellion he'd awakened two years ago to burn as it did that day he'd torn Robin Hood's mask off his face. It took less than ten seconds for the fire to show itself, and its righteous heat to flood his body. Leveling his gaze at Shido's back he spoke in a cold, yet absolutely scathing voice, "It's what I know. It's the reason she killed herself."

A sizzling came from the pan. "Really? Are you sure that's the reason? I was under the impression the reason she took her life was you, because she couldn't stay the sight of her greatest fail-"

The switch was pulled the gears immediately began to grind. With strength he never knew he possessed Goro threw the wooden kitchen table aside, not at all caring for the resounding crash or splintering fragments as he dashed towards Shido. He didn't care about noise compliments or the possibility of someone busting into the apartment to investigate, all he wanted was Shido's head.

What happened next was a blur, literally. Shido moved with speed Goro knew he shouldn't have had, and struck him with strength he knew he didn't possess. The air left his lungs as his father's fist drove deeply into his stomach making his mouth form a wide "O", and even lifted him off the ground. Before he could even comprehend what had happened another fist lashed out, catching him in the face. Goro stumbled over his feet, his mind frantically working to regain some balance so he could counter attack. An iron vice closed around his neck and lifted him off his feet again. Still frantic he fought it with everything he had, then gasped for air when he felt himself sail through the air only stop when he felt hit something sturdy, and wet. The smell of flesh and blood returned stronger than ever.

"You blame me for her death, you blame me for how your life's gone, if so, why do you resist me?" Shido's voice rang.

 _ **O!**_

"If you let me kill you, you'll get to see her again, is that not a good thing?"

 _ **ORO!**_

"The only person who ever loved you, even if it was for a brief time, you'll be able to see her again. Doesn't that sound like a just reward for your services?"

 _ **GORO!**_

" _SHUT THE HELL UP!"_

Red colored his vision for a split second, then it gave way to blue-deep azure tinged with black and white. He felt something in his hands, a sword handle. Gripping it tightly he ran the blade deep into Shido's stomach knocking him to the ground. Stradling the bald-headed man Goro looked down at his stunned eyes through his orange glasses. He raised his right hand up, gone was the oversized coat and in its place was a mass of red and blue flames swirling around his fist.

"Reward?! REWARD?! THIS IS THE ONLY REWARD I WANT! YOUR SKULL!"

The fist came down, and the flames fanned out around Goro consuming father and son, along with the entire apartment in a hellish nova.

Goro felt he was moving, he felt someone was touching him, and he most certainly felt like he was in danger. As usual, smell was the indicator. Body colon, smoke, and just faintly, liquor. Without hesitation he began to struggle, kicking out his arms and legs, and feeling them make contact with something solid. Cries of alarm and surprise rung out around him followed by the sensation of being dropped and hitting the cold hard ground. His vision was blurry, but he knew enough-he'd been caught.

"Get him!"

Bodies piled on top of him like sacks of rice. Without the strength offered to him by Robin and Loki he found himself too weak to throw them off, didn't stop him from trying to though.

"Get the hell off of me!" he screamed clawing at the ground. Getting lucky he managed to hit one of his attacks in the face with the back of his fist. One body fell off of him. Catching sight of another he swung his fist across his face, catching a second in the face causing him to fall away. Finally he had enough room to wiggle free and make a run for freedom. He never made it.

"GAAAH!"

In the Metaverse getting zapped with electricity wasn't a pleasurable experience. Granted, in the alternate world he was superhumanly strong and durable thanks to his Personas thus he could take a straight lightning bolt, get up, and make whatever had zapped him pay for it. That wasn't the case in the real world. Goro's muscles seized up with agony causing his entire body to go still. His face collided with the ground again, his chest rising and falling in short intervals. All of his senses were hazy leaving him feel more vulnerable than ever. First he saw his fingers clawing at the ground like spider legs, then he was able to at least turn his head upwards, just as a shadow fell over him.

"Lights out, Prince Detective."

The shadow came down, and with it, Goro was once more submerged in darkness, only this time it was cold instead of hot.

* * *

 **Had to cut this chapter off a little earlier than I intended, but given what I have planned…yeah, I'm sure you all get the picture. Next chapter is** _ **not**_ **going to be a happy run for Goro. For some background, the meaning behind the reversed Fool Arcana is failing to take account of your actions and living recklessly. One of the traits of the reversed Justice Arcana is an inability to self-reflect, not to mention letting one's desires outweigh their morals. Needless to say, Goro's character is sort build on those things, but now that he's on his own, cut off from everyone and everything he knows, he can do the self-reflection. That starts from this chapter onwards.**

 **See you all next chapter, where you'll see what new dangerous situation Pancake Boy's landed himself in, and if he'll be able to make it out alive!**


	8. Chapter 7-Down in the Dark

**Fair warning, this chapter contains depictions of torture.**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 7-Down in the Dark**

The brief pockets of light and clarity that assailed Goro's vision were both welcomed and unwanted. He had no idea how long he'd been under; his mind had gone completely blank for an undetermined period of time and he had no way to knowing where he was. Once or twice his sense of sight and hearing came back to him, granted in his current situation they weren't much good. A bag of some sort had been thrown over his head, and based on his failed attempts to move his body, his limbs had been tied up. He tried moving his arms to no avail, when he found he couldn't move his legs vertically he tried horizontal. His feet got a few inches before they hit something hard and solid, so hard his feet briefly stung with pain. Beneath him he felt vibrations and bumps that slightly jolted his body upwards and to the side.

He'd been bound and gagged and thrown in the back of a car.

If his mind had been entirely coherent Goro would have made some wise crack regarding his current situation, but he wasn't. A thick fog of pain still blanketed his mind preventing him doing anything besides writhing in pain. Gnashing his teeth, he struggled to bring himself out of the darkness, recalling everything that had led him to this unfortunate situation. The last thing he remembered was being tasered then something dark falling over him. His muscles had howled with a pain he'd never known outside the Metaverse, and they still hurt. The residual pain only made Goro further question how long had he been out? A couple of minutes? An hour?

Something rocked the car causing his entire body to bounce. Another tide of pain hit his body leaving him grouchier than he already was. Goro would have screamed, not caring if anyone heard him or not, if he had the strength to do so. Instead, all he could was hold his brimming anger in and hope within the next few hours he'd have a chance to make his captors regret their treatment of him. Taking the first steps towards that goal Goro started flexing his fingers and twisting his wrists, ignoring the pain his restraints inflicted on him for doing so.

Several more bumps in the road followed until Goro felt he'd come to a stop. Th distant hum of an engine was silenced allowing him to hear the sounds of car doors swinging open and footsteps. An estimated ten seconds passed before Goro felt a breath of cold air slam into his body.

Through the bag over his head he heard voices, muffled and distant despite probably being less than five feet from him. Grabbing hold of his anger Goro attempted to force his voice to work, but his captors had other ideas.

The brown-haired teen never saw the taser coming given he was blindfolded, and by the time his ears registered the electrical cackle it was too late. Goro's eyes and mouth flew wide as a scream of pain exploded from his lungs. Racing across his body were countless bolts of electricity, causing his muscles to spasm and tighten. After a moment or two Goro slammed his gnashed his teeth hoping to silence his screams of agony. He knew his captors was doing this just to see him squirm, he couldn't allow them that satisfaction.

Two more series of shocks rocked his body before he felt a pair of hands roughly seizing him by the scuff of his shirt. His body wouldn't respond no matter how hard he tried. Now a little closer he could hear the voices of his captors, granted since he was still recovering he couldn't make out what they were saying. At least he was able to identify all of them as male and being no more than three. His shoulders were roughly gripped and he was pulled along a unknown path, his entire sense of balance lost to him.

In his mind he tried reaching out to Robin Hood and Loki, but his mind was too foggy to make the connection. He was on his own with no allies, physical or mental, and at the mercy of unknown enemies.

 _Akira, the next time I see you, I'm punching you in the face for this._

With his eyes and hearing unreliable Goro relied on what he could feel with his body. The cold breeze of open air, it grew damp and frigid, as if rain were on its way. His feet registered the transition from hard ground to hard metal. A new barrage of smells, somewhat rack and foul hit his noise like a sledgehammer, h recognized some of them-he was in the sewers, or at least some place underground. Of course, it had to be underground, this whole thing couldn't have gotten any more cliché than it already had.

As his captors dragged him along Goro tried to formulate a plan of escape, and if he failed at that what would happen to him. Death was a certainty; the only question was how did Shido plan to make him shuffle off his mortal coil? If he had to guess based on Terashima's earlier appearance he was going to make his murder look like a hit job from the Yakuza or some sort. It wouldn't be too hard as he had put away one or two gang members, and the public was fickle enough they'd buy a revenge story. If he wasn't shot in the head there was the chance his body thrown into the river to be discovered some days later, after maggots had picked apart his flesh and his skin had turned a hideous shade of gray. He briefly shuddered at the thought of his body simply passing down through the sewers for days on end without someone noticing.

No, Shido would make sure someone found him, preferable after his body had had some time to decompose. The police would rule it as a murder, come down hard on some nameless criminal or group, and that'd be the end.

At least, that's what Goro wanted to believe. In his heart, he knew Shido was going to try to place blame on the Phantom Thieves. The public already believed they'd crossed a line by murdering Okumura, and he'd made his opposition to them very known. It was almost irritating how everything had been set up so perfectly, but then again, that's probably what made Shido the manipulative bastard he was. For better or for worse, the man hadn't survived the harsh world of politics by luck until Goro came into his life. And by entering his life, Goro put a limit on his, then again, it's not like he'd expected to do anything great with his life to begin with.

A door swung open and he was ushered through it. The rough hands that had held him down all throughout the entire trip threw him forward. His rear end met something hard and wooden, a chair. More shuffling and yelling occurred as his hands were seized again and bound again; Goro grunted in discomfort at the feel of his hands being further restrained. He was ninety-percent sure when he was finally able to look at his hands his wrists were going to have rope burns on them.

The bag was finally yanked back and Goro's face was blasted with blinding light. In the back of his head he realized rope burns were going to be the least of his worries.

"Gotta say, I was sorta expecting someone a little taller, or at least to see some facial hair." A gruff male voice sneered.

"How many times do I have to tell you, that's out. Notice how every guy on a top ten list is clean-shaven or some shit like that? Besides, I doubt pretty boy here could grow much less grow a goatee."

A chorus of laughter resounded through the chamber making it hard for Goro to focus on one voice. No matter how many times he blinked colored spots continued to dance in his vision and the blinding light continued to beat down on him like a hammer.

"Hey, I think the detective is having some trouble waking up."

"I got just the thing for him."

In retrospect the bucket of cold water wasn't really all that bad. Goro had been groggy since he was rudely awakened, and the ice-cold water did the trick in waking him up and chasing away the phantom pain and drowsiness. Didn't stop it from sending his heart into overdrive and practically lighting his nerves on fire.

"Wakey-wakey, Prince Detective."

Though his eyes stung a little Goro was finally able to open them and see clearly for the first time in what felt like hours. What he saw made him wish his sight was impaired again.

Three men, all of them in their late thirties to possibly early forties. All of them were Yakuza as evident by their clothing and unmistakable stench.

The first of the trio was looking at him with a too uncomfortable grin. A fine-trimmed mustache stretched across his lips and dropped down the corners of his lips; the longer Goro looked into his almond-colored eyes the more he realized this man was without a doubt going to be the most annoying of the bunch. From his continued snickers he realized this man was the one who'd made the remark about him being taller or having facial hair.

To the right Goro took in the appearance of thug number-two. A solid six feet of muscle and a worn face completely with a scar running from the end of his right eyebrow down to his cheek. His head was shaved and his jawline was covered by a thick black beard. When their eyes met, his brown to Goro's dark red a promise of pain was made and would be delivered upon in the near future. His arms lay crossed in front of his chest giving Goro a good look at the thickness of the forearms. Briefly Goro looked downwards to his hips spying a sidearm fastened in a holster. Yes, this man would be his greatest obstacle if he wanted to escape.

Lastly, to the left stood a chuckling man of equal height and build to the one in the center. His hair was red with spikey hair that faintly reminded Goro of Ryuji. His dark green eyes leered at Goro like a cat eying a mouse. He didn't like it.

"Who would have thought we'd have the golden boy of the Tokyo Police Department to ourselves for an entire afternoon. Damn, talk about luck." The redhead laughed causing Goro's blood to boil.

"I know what you mean, Fukuda, but…from what I've heard, golden boy here isn't so clean cut as he wants everyone to think." The middle one bellowed tossing aside the bucket he'd used to splash cold water onto him. Grinning all the way he leaned in closer than Goro would have liked allowing him to smell his foul breath. Instinctively his hands struggled against his restraints as did his feet. "Yeah, see, we've heard some talk from the guys up top, you're not the Prince Charming everyone thinks you are, eh, Akechi?"

Biting down the rising tide disgust and hatred Goro finally got his voice work. "I'm amazed low-class rats like you even have an idea what's going."

A flash of rage crossed the man's eyes before he subdued it. Reaching into his coat pocket he withdrew something silvery-a switchblade. "You've got a mouth on you, kid. Fine way to be talking to the guys who've got you by the balls." He twirled the blade a few times, then plunged it directly into Goro's left leg causing his eyes nearly bulge out of his sockets, yet he did not cry out. "Tough kid, points on sticking it out. Most kids I've meet would have been balling their eyes out after taking a blade to the leg," a dark chuckle interrupted the monologue. "Of course, we're only getting started. The real pain hasn't even begun yet. Care to get started?"

As his fingers toyed with the knife imbedded in Goro's leg the brute of the trio spoke up. "Haga, control yourself. Remember, we're to give the kid back in one piece."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, Gatō." Gripping the knife, the one known as Haga pulled the blade free causing the brown-haired teenager to hiss in numbed pain. "I'll control myself, but they never said we couldn't rough the kid up a little. Besides, look at him, you can't say the brat doesn't deserve some kind of ass-kicking."

"So, you want a chance to prove you're more than just some nameless, do-as-you're-told grunts? Untie me and you can have your chance." Goro growled.

"Can it brat." The brute now identified as Gatō barked directing his hard gaze towards him. "Haga's right, just because we can't kill you doesn't mean we can't do something about that mouth of yours'. We're the ones in control here, not you."

"If you've tied me up and are talking about handing me over…then you should already know what I am." The water had begun to dry off causing his hair to stick to his face. The disheveled look in his eyes, the unsheathed malice in his voice, and the dark aura he was projecting, all of it was enough to give the three Yakuza a moment of hesitation. Even Gatō the big man broke out in a visible cold sweat.

The one on the left, Fukuda, was the first to regain some of his wits. He tried to hide his fear with a nervous laugh, "Y-Yeah, right! You're bound and gagged, you little shit! No one knows where you are and no one cares!" Striking out he grabbed Goro by the throat and lifted him a little off his chain straining the rusted metal. "You're our prisoner, maybe not for as long as we'd want, but you can't do jack-shit to us."

"You don't know that." Goro fired back looking at him with a glare of pure contempt. "For all you know I could break out of these ropes, kill you idiots, and just walk right out of here."

Haga erupted into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. "Oh, get real! Even if you escaped, where the hell would you go?" Leaning in again he smiled at Goro with a grin fit for a coyote. "The cops are on our side, _our side_ , even if you went to them there's no way you'd last long. You'd be back in our arms, or maybe some other asshole, one a whole lot less restrained than us. The way I see it, you oughta be treating us with a little more respect."

Flashing the two men a malevolent grin Goro responded, "Alright then, once I get out of here I'll kill you both quickly. That way you won't have to suffer. How's that for respect?"

A moment of silence followed, then Haga and Fukuda broke into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. One minute passed, then two, and then the break came.

Haga's arm caught him in the cheek, knocking him and the chair he was tied to over. Numbing pain spread through his body, he spit out blood out staining the cold ground in front of him. Fukuda came in after him, his legs hitting against his stomach over and over again. Goro supposed he was lucky the man was wearing cheap as hell shoes instead of boots or real leather. He took the pounding in attempted silence, their every blow earning them nothing but a repressed grunt.

A break in the assault came as the two men stepped back to look down at him, equally shocked as they were enraged. Goro held nothing back in returning their venom tenfold. Overwhelmed by the murderous aura overflowing from the seventeen-year-old the two men backed away while their third associate maintained a respective distance. Gatō growled something to his two compatriots before moving in behind Goro and righted his chair. His glare never faltered in its intensity, eventually becoming too much for Haga and Fukuda to stand.

"We'll be back, brat. You've got a couple of hours until we turn you over so be thankful." Haga sneered being the first one out the door with the other two following suit.

As soon as he heard the door slam shut Goro allowed himself a moment of respite. It wasn't much, but at least he was finally alone. Granted, he had a stab wound in his left leg that he was going to have to treat at some point and his ribs were hurting like hell. Though they weren't much he believed now that he was at his mercy Haga was going to do everything he could to make the next couple of hours hell for Goro. It didn't help that he didn't even know what time it was, was it night or day? Was he going to be picked up at dawn or dusk? Who would be the one picking him up and handing him over to Shido? He hoped to God it wasn't Terashima, his face was the last thing he wanted to see at the end of long day of torture. As much as he wanted to deny it, Shido probably would send Terashima just to make sure the transfer went smoothly. The more Goro thought about it the tighter the knot in his stomach became. He had to escape, fast.

 _ **Eh, definitely not one of your better days.**_

 _Ya' think?! Where the hell have you two been?!_

In spite of the anger, he was grateful to feel Robin Hood and Loki's presence in his mind again.

 _ **Goro, we're sorry, we were-**_

 _ **Would you believe us if we told you we were preoccupied, or someone hijacked us on our way back to you?**_

Goro thought for a moment, allowing confusion to break out along his face. "What are you talking about, Loki?" Since no one was around and the walls were hopefully soundproof he didn't feel too bothered in speaking to his Personas aloud.

Robin Hood was the one that responded, from the tone of his voice it was clear he was trying to phrase it as not to further enrage Goro. _**When you had your…dream, something pulled us away from you. That was why we couldn't warn you or coach you through your…kidnapping. I'm sorry.**_

"Something…pulled you two away from me?"

 _ **Yeah, Robby's telling the truth. Honestly, we would have warned you, but it's like someone shackled us, hooked the other end to a horse, and then decided to take us for a ride. Believe me, it's not as fun as it sounds.**_ Goro's monochrome Persona added in his usual sing-song voice, except with a hint of seriousness and danger mixed in. _**Someone or something didn't want us contacting you, wanted you on your own.**_

Ordinarily, Goro would have dismissed their explanations as excuses, but he knew better now. He'd been willing to accept the unreasonable up to a point upon learning of the Metaverse, and since throwing his lot in with Akira…things had become even weirder. Upon hearing their explanation his mind immediately went to the strange blue butterfly he'd seen in the days leading up to the Casino Heist and after when he'd left Leblanc. _Something_ weird was happening to him, and he needed to find out what it was and why him.

Whatever might have counted as his detective's intuition was telling him he was getting too close to something someone wanted hidden. Shido was the immediate answer, but Goro's gut was telling him there was more to this than just his father.

 _I gotta get out of here. Whatever is going on, I'm not going to be figuring it out here…or as my consciousness is fading out in my last moments._

Pushing the budging fear to the back of his mind Goro attempted to focus on his surroundings. If he could at least calm himself down he could start thinking of a way out of this mess. The room he was in might as well have been a stone box-shaped like a perfect square with him in the center and two sets of fluoresce lights almost directly above him. Twisting his head around he was thankful to find no cameras hidden away in any of the corners. Judging by the cracks in the walls and faded paint the place was old, extremely old. Odds were, it must have been some sort of storage room until being repurposed into a prison cell. A trio of pumps rose up from the ground to the far-left corner of the room and extended up to the ceiling where they branched off then shot forward through the walls. He caught a few droplets of water leaking from them as well as heard the echoing ring of water rushing through all around him. Yep, he was definitely underground, in the sewers no doubt.

Lying some four feet from him was the bucket that was used to awaken him from his exhaustion-induced stupor. Odds were the trio of thugs were in such a hurry to get away from him they completely forgot about it. It was a start, the problem was he had hiding it would be a problem as besides the chair he was tied to there was nothing else in the room he could use. Across from him the thick door possessed a foot-wide see-through window meaning if someone came by while he was moving he'd be in for hell.

"Heh, all those detective novels, and I finally find myself caught up in a real life-or-death situation." The laughter that fell from his lips was stiff and humorless, more aimed at himself than anything.

 _ **True, but this could be your moment.**_ Robin Hood offered shimmering into form in front of him. His gaze was hard and piercing. _**You've played the part of a detective well, but the time has come for you to stop playing and truly become that which you aspire to be.**_

"You really believe I can do that?" He hated how weak and needy his voice sounded, but the look Robin was giving him, it awakened something inside of him he'd buried over a decade ago.

Firmly nodding the translucent entity reached out and placed a hand on his right shoulder. A hot breeze blew across his neck followed by another hand falling upon his left shoulder.

 _ **Though darkness may cover your ever direction, you must not despair.**_ Robin Hood began.

 _ **For you are one who doesn't not just endure the darkness, you thrive in it.**_ Loki added.

 _ **As long as you keep your wits about you, even when disarmed of weapons, tools, and allies, you can find a way to escape the inescapable.**_ The two Justice-aligned Personas spoke in perfect unison.

Those words, coupled with the all too real feel of the twos' hands stirred something in Goro. The pain from his leg and cheek faded away as his mind entered a state of almost blissfully emptiness. He inhaled through his noise and exhaled through his mouth. When he was finished he found control over his body had fully returned to him. He still had on his pants, but his shoes had been lost, fallen off probably, and all he had covering himself was his torn sweatshirt. The sleeves had been ripped up past his elbows exposing his skin, the cloth that covered his arms had been peeled away. He was exposed, but not dead.

Yet.

* * *

If he had to guess, about an hour or so had passed before Haga returned, practically kicking the door open as he entered the room.

"Yo, Prince Detective, I've got some good news and bad news! The good news is there's been a slight delay in the pickup date, that means we get to spend more time together! Isn't that great?!"

"Yeah, I'm practically over the moon with joy. Mind telling me what the…equipment is for?"

Generally speaking, when someone walks into a room pushing a cart containing three buckets of water and what looked to be a heavily modified defibrillator they panic. Had Goro not had some time to collect himself and prior experience dealing with danger, he would have panicked. In spite of his steely will his eyes homed in on the seemingly modified machine-it appeared to have been a hospital-issued defibrillator that had been customized to serve as a torture device. Despite the numerous stains on it and few cracks it possessed, Goro had an uncomfortable feeling the machine worked well.

"This? Yeah, see this is where the bad news comes in. Word's spreading we got _the_ Goro Akechi with us." I don't know if you know this, but you're pretty popular here in the underworld." Quick like a snake he grabbed Goro by the hair and angled his face upwards. "Must be those pretty boy good-looks. See, lot of guys aren't fans of it, or how you go on talk shows day after day to rag on us 'criminal scum' and get cheers for it. Know what I mean?"

"Believe me, those talk shows are just as horrendous for me as they are for you all to see them." He responded trying to keep up a brave face.

"Ah, I see, well sorry kid, but that's not going to fly with them. They're coming for you, hoping they can get a crack in before you're rolled out."

"Interesting, I did know my popularity extended this far." Goro felt sweat beginning to accumulate on his forehead. "I take it you…want me for yourself?"

The carnivorous grin returned in full force as Haga's grip tightened. "Damn right I want you for myself, that 'Prince Detective' act of yours, I hate it. Makes me sick. So, since you're here I've carved out some…time alone for us. I think it's time you got taken down a beg. Better me than some of the other guys. Trust me, if you heard what some of them wanted to do to you…"

Goro knew the next couple of minutes were going to be hell, pain worse than anything he'd physically felt pre-Metaverse. With his arms still restrained all he could was brace himself for the storm of pain he knew as coming. Haga fired up the defibrillator then reached for the first bucket of water. When the water splashed across his face he was ready.

When the electrical shock came, he wasn't.

"ARRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHH!"

Without the protection of his Personas or his Metaverse clothing his body was completely naked to the electrical shocks. The pain burned raced through his body starting from his chest and going outward, hitting every organ and vein as it traversed his body. His muscles seized and burned with the thousands of volts of electricity being run through them. Briefly he felt his arms and legs spasm out of control to the point he thought they were going to outright explode or fall off. Any form of resistance crumbled away as his mouth stretched open in a scream he was sure rang throughout the entire sewer system. He screamed and screamed until his lungs burned, and then he continued to scream.

Finally, Haga withdrew the paddles, taking a moment to admire his handywork. "There, now, that's much better. Now you look all nice and toasty."

Goro's body was frozen stiff, stiff being the word. More like it was so numbed with pain neither his mind or physical body could do anything in response. His mouth was still stretched open, a silent scream continued to filter out as his head finally gave way and fell forward. Following suit his body quivered like a wounded animal just hit with a cattle prod. A smell filled his nostrils-the foul smell of flesh burning, his flesh.

Some spark of rebellion found its way into Goro's being causing him to look up at his captor. The second his red eyes found Haga the pads were placed up against his chest again, and then he was back to screaming.

Not all the water had evaporated from the first shock meaning some parts of Goro's body got a double dosage of electrical shock. Those were the parts that sizzled and burned, frying Goro's nerve endings, but not before giving him a few seconds of mind-bending pain. His fingers and toes twitched nonstop as another scream erupted from his mouth. Helpless, the brown-haired teenager stared up at the ceiling lights, begging for someone, anyone to make the pain stop. Just barely was he aware of his heart literally thundering against his chest, the excess electricity being too much for it to bear.

After he drew back the paddles Haga took a wide whiff of the disgusting odor as if he were smelling a garden of scented flowers. "I never get tire of that smell. First time I shocked someone was when I was in middle school, bunch of turds wouldn't stop bugging me so I put together a little something for them. Turned on the water hose, lured them out then gave them all a little shock using some a homemade taser. God, hearing those bastards scream was one of the highlights of my seventh-grade year."

Somehow, he managed to work through the pain. Finding his weakened voice Goro retorted, "O-Oh…s…so…yo…u…were…always this…twi…twis…twisted."

Rubbing the paddles together he stared down at the seventeen-year-old high schooler. His expression was somewhere between a smirk and a sneer. "Trust me, you haven't even seen twisted yet. If I wanted to get really evil on you, I would have brought my tool kit."

"S…So…you're a…p-pr-professional…torturer…good to know." Coughing up blood wasn't anything new for him, it was just the simple act made his lungs feel like they were going to explode.

Haga chuckled at the correct deduction. "Well, not quite professional, but my job is making people talk when they don't want to. You wouldn't believe how much pain the human body can endure before the pride and bravado finally gives away." Cruel intentions revealed themselves in Haga's almond eyes when Goro finally found the strength to look up. He watched tight-lipped as Haga moved one of his arms towards his wounded leg. Instinctively, Goro's entire body tightened, bracing itself for the untold agony that was about to course through him. The black paddle was so close Goro could literally feel the hairs on his leg begin to stand on in through his jeans.

"Do it, I know you want to." Goro spit out.

"I would…but I've got orders not to roughen you up _too_ much." He chided withdrawing the pad. "That said, I've got a few tricks I want to show you. I don't get to do this a lot, so you're in for a treat." Setting the paddles back onto the main device Haga withdraw a folded up white rag that had been lying beside the defibrillator.

To his credit, Goro remained stone-faced as the rag was tightly wrapped around his face. He'd seen scenes like this play out in dozens of movies, and usually the hero managed to tough it out through sheer grit and will. Goro knew he wasn't the hero, at least not with Akira in the picture, but he could take pain. His mind retreated some place far, far way to escape the coming torment. It could have been his imagination, but he could have sworn he felt two hands tightly clap onto his shoulder. He didn't have to think hard to imagine who they belonged to.

Waterboarding was considered one of the worst and inhumane acts of torture imaginable, so terrible it caused an international uproar several times in the past when it was revealed the CIA had been employing it as a means of interrogation. The reported damages were long lasting and went beyond lung or brain damage. Some victims were recorded has gaining severe cases of aquaphobia. Given the severity of the stories they told, one could hardly blame them.

Almost all the water came at him in an instant. With the rag obstructing his mouth and Haga's hand holding his head back there was little he could do to fight against it. Goro had never known what drowning felt like, and the short ten seconds that followed taught him more than he ever wanted to know. Water filled his lungs in seconds and his body jerked in all directions, pressing hard against the restraining shackling him. His voice was little more than muted gurgles as he desperately fought for some form of air.

It was amazing and frightening how fast the entire process was, one second he was gasping for oxygen, and the next he felt cold air hit him smack in the face. With the obstructing cloth gone whatever remained of his functioning brain took control. He hacked and coughed, inhaling as much air as he could while trying to expel all the excess water in his lungs. All his insides burned in ways he never imagined was possible.

"Pretty wild ride, huh?" Haga commented holding up the bucket he'd used to waterboard him. "And think, what I did to you was only a sample. Back in the day, this was done over and over for hours, and the best part? Getting the subject to talk wasn't even the goal. It was sadism, yeah, sure people say it was for getting prisoners to crack, but let's be honest with ourselves. The only reason you'd do something like this was so you can-"

"Satisfy some sadistic urge? A need to murder and brutalize?" Goro's words were a jumbled-up mess, yet somehow, they were still understandable. Second by second, the water was leaving his lungs, but the shock and trauma remained. "L-Let me guess, you get off on this too, d-don't you?" To drive the point home Goro raised his head upwards looking his captor square in the eye. Once more the flash of fear ran through Haga's almond orbs.

That flash of fear caused his arms to lash out. Getting hit with an empty bucket hurt, but compared to everything Goro had already been through, it might as well have been a love tap. He felt a steady stream of blood begin to trickle down his forehead, but he ignored it. Holding fast to his mental fortitude he glared back at Haga, daring him to strike him again. The unspoken taunt worked as a scream of frustration erupted from the Yakuza. Tossing aside the bucket he began driving his fist into Goro's face. Every blow hurt, and increased Goro's desire to break free and wrap his fingers around the mustached bastard and choke the life out of him.

As the onslaught of punches continued Goro remembered something Loki had told him after a rather interesting conversation he'd had with the Phantom Thieves regarding the "root" of their power.

 _ **See, you're not exactly like the rest of them. You've got similarities, but when you break it down, my dear boy, there's one difference between you and them, something I don't think they'll like. Your strength doesn't come from some desire to see justice done or righting the wrongs of the past…not entirely. No, it comes from some place else, a darker fouler place.**_

Haga was screaming something at him, insults, threats, taunts, he couldn't make out what they were and he didn't care.

 _ **It comes from pain.**_ The horned god had laughed with a voice filled to the brim with glee and malice. _**The more pain you experience, the stronger you become, take it from me, that's not too bad. To those who've endured great pain, the thought of experiencing more doesn't bother them, no, what they learn to do is harness that pain. That is the type of person you are.**_ Since awakening him Goro had grown used to a "habit" of Loki's. The Norse god was rather touchy-feely, a trait he found disturbing and still did, but grew to accept. His long, claw-like fingers stretched out over his chest and bared down on where his heart lay. _**Take that pain inside of you, channel it, focus it, and when the times comes, return it back to those who gave it to you, tenfold.**_

He was lying on the ground, almost every part of his face hurting, yet in a strange way, Goro felt like he was perfectly fine. Goro heard Haga breathing hard, despite the immense beat down he'd just given him, he was the one out of breath. That told him what he needed to know; he could rattle him.

Spitting out more blood, the resulting splatter being just about as big as two of his fingers, he leered at his captor, "That…all you got? If so…I…you're more pathetic…than I originally thought."

Haga's nostrils flared and his arm shot back behind his waist. "Shut up!" Grabbing him by the head again, he jammed the pitch-black taser into his neck sending what must have been the nth electric shock through his body. Goro's muscles constricted and screamed with pain, but he pushed it all down. The pain fired up every nerve in his body making him feel more alive than he had in the past two days. In that fiery maelstrom he found strength Loki spoke of.

"Shut the hell, up, you little shit! I hate punks like you, ya' hear me!" Haga screamed withdrawing.

"Kind…of…hard not to. You…have a voice like a harpy." Not that it was much, but Goro managed to laugh.

Haga's eyes swelled with murderous rage resulting in him letting out a near feral roar. His leg slammed into Goro's stomach with full force causing him to scream out. It came around two more times, each blow making Goro feel like his organs were about to implode. "You think because you're Tokyo's golden boy you get to walk around like you own the damn city! You don't! You're nothing but a snot-noised brat! That's it! Nothing but some stupid punk-ass kid playing pretend!"

"Then explain to me…why I've put more assholes like you away…then you've had dates." He groaned. The combination of Haga's beatings, the water, and his own struggling was taking its toll on the chair he was tied to. The thing had to have been at least a decade old. The wood had rotted and weakened. He just needed to hold out for a little longer.

His last statement sent Haga's mind into a rage-filled overdrive. Roughly seizing him by the throat he pulled him back into an upright position. Slamming the taser onto the cart he pulled out his pocket knife again, twirling it mere inches from Goro's bloody and bruised face. "You know what I could do to you? Carve out one of those eyes, then you can kiss those pretty boy good looks goodbye! You want that?!"

In the short seconds that followed Goro's still working ears dedicated the sound of wood splintering and cracking. Containing the rush of excitement behind a cool mask he narrowed his eyes at Haga. His lip might have been busted and his left eye had swollen, but Goro could still move, and he could still resist.

Haga remained frozen in place as blood flew from Goro's busted lips directly into his face. There was a tremble, then the eruption came. Roaring he pulled his right hand back angling the switchblade directly at his eyes.

Goro was faster.

Wrenching his right arm free he lashed out, eerily similar to what Haga had done to him. The only difference was Goro's attack was faster and stronger than anything the criminal could hope to muster up. He caught Haga just below his armpit, the exact place he wanted. Pain quickly spread through the older man's body as Goro's closed fist collided with his skin. Falling from his hand the switchblade clattered to the ground while Haga's left arm shot to his right side.

"You little-"

Next came his left arm, his dominate arm. If the Metaverse had done anything beneficial for Goro, it had been refining his willingness to kill and maim. Fight after fight, hundreds of them, had given him the type of combat instincts most people spoke about when discussing soldiers and trained killers. It was those instincts that allowed him to strike at Haga's throat with near surgical precision. His pain-filled rants became punctuated coughs as his lungs struggled to carry air up into his breath. Quickly as he could he tore at the ropes constraining his legs, in what felt like seconds his right leg was free, followed by his leg.

"I-I-I'll I'm gonna-" Haga grounded out drawing Goro's attention back to him. The minute he saw the teenager's red-colored eyes the gangster felt pire fear eclipse his body and mind. In his eyes, he wasn't looking at a teenager, he was looking at an animal that now wanted his blood. "W-Wait!"

Grabbing the old chair Goro hefted it over his head then brought it down atop Haga's hunched up body. The wooden chair broke to pieces, but the scream he got from his tormentor was more than enough for Goro.

The teen's triumph was short-lived as he heard the doorknob turning and the frantic calls of a male voice, Fukuda. Acting quickly, he went for the cart where the taser and bucket of water lay, all while Haga still lay on the ground, attempting to get his voice to work.

"Hey, Haga, you're not having too much-what the hell?!" The minute the redhead saw his friend huddling on the ground with his eyes red and the broken pieces of the chair lying around him he knew something was wrong. "Where the hell is-"

It was fortunate that the door swung inwards instead of outwards, it gave Goro a good enough place to hide for the few seconds when Fukuda entered the room. He never saw Goro coming until his right foot viciously kicked him to the ground then his hands went out splashing a bucket-load of cold water across his face. Fukuda hit the ground cursing and screaming in shock. Barely a second later and Goro was on top of him, Haga's taser raised high.

Some people would have said it was wrong, but when he pressed the taser to the back of Fukuda's neck and made the man scream in agony, Goro felt extremely satisfied. All the pain he'd been feeling earlier evaporated into a sea of bliss and joy.

"You little bastard! I'm gonna kill you!" Screamed the black-haired man, who'd finally regained some measure of strength in his body. Grabbing his switchblade he made a headlong charge for Goro believing he'd be able to catch the teenager off guard.

It might have worked if Goro had been a normal teenager. He wasn't.

Gripping Fukuda by the shoulders he twisted his body away while pulling his upwards. He felt a slight push as Haga buried his switchblade hilt-deep into his fellow gangster, said gangster yelping in pain. The shock of hurting his friend froze Haga in place, long enough for Goro to follow up his diversion with another attack. Pulling his hands away he ignored the pain in his left leg then dropped to his knees where he executed a finely practiced sweep kick. Both men tumbled to the ground, Haga's knife still buried in Fukuda, but not for long.

Goro moved faster than his injuries should have allowed, and his strength surpassed what either men had previously thought of the lanky-looking teen. Grabbing Haga by the collar of his suit Goro pulled him back sending him skidding against the cart which went flying back against the wall. The last bucket of water tipped over and spilled across arm and shoulder while the defibrillator fell over onto the side. Ripping the switchblade out of Fukuda, and giving him a vicious side kick Goro rushed across the small room.

"ARGH!"

Haga had never been stabbed with his own blade before, he'd heard stories about other guys losing their knives or worse having their own weapons turned on them, but he never thought such a thing would happen to him. Now, thanks to a blood-eyed seventeen-year-old, it had.

Mercilessly Goro dragged the blade across Haga's stomach staining his white dress shirt bright red. The man gurgled then fell over, his hands going to the wound in an attempt to stem the flow of blood. Standing up, taser and switchblade in hand, Goro looked down at him.

"My turn." His voice was cold and ominous, too ominous for a high schooler.

"You…don't get too ahead of yourself, you uppity little-" Goro had dropped low and rushed Fukuda down the same way he had done Haga. The switchblade once again buried itself deep into his stomach, then was removed in one swift swipe. Less than a second later, and Goro's knee slammed into his gut. Moving with murderous speed and grace the teenager held out his right hand, the same one that held the switchblade, then plunged it directly into the side of Fukuda's neck. Haga screamed for his old friend, in response Goro twisted the blade then dragged it upwards, when it came out almost the entirety of Goro's fist and the blade were smeared in blood.

Fukuda was dead before he hit the ground, his eyes glazed over and blood spilling from the open wound in his neck and oozing from his stomach.

Haga laid there, completely horrified at the events that had just played out before him. His friend of eleven years lay dead almost five feet from him, his killer, a teenager, standing over him looking as cold and detached as a ghost.

Breaking him out of his shock was the sound of footsteps and shouting. He recognized the voice, "Gatō, Gatō, get your fat ass in here, now!"

The larger Yakuza busted into the room with his gun drawn and at the ready. "What the hell is going on here?!"

First his eyes went to Fukuda's dead body lying on the floor, then to Goro, but by then it was already too late.

With lightning-fast speed Goro threw the switchblade, it flew like a bullet, impaling Gatō in the chest and keeping him from firing his pistol. Knives may not have been his weapon of choice, but he'd seen Akira do enough fighting he could mimic him well enough. A knife throw didn't necessarily have to be fatal, just stun the enemy long enough for a follow-up attack.

Gripping the taser in his left hand Goro closed the distance between him and Gatō in seconds. The taser slammed into the underside of his right arm, the resulting shock causing him to fumble the gun. Preparing himself, Goro slammed his injured left knee directly into the man's side while his right hand went for the switchblade. The combination attack had Gatō off balance, and in that window Goro pressed his assault. Sliding to the right he sweep kicked the six-foot giant off his feet. Out of the corner of his eye Goro saw the corner of the door and lunged for it, gripping it by the edges then swinging inwardly. Before the door could loudly slam shut he spun back around and plunged the switchblade into Gatō's left leg, then dragged the blade downwards past the knee. The bald-headed man screamed to high heaven at the pain, and while he did Goro scrambled for his gun.

There wasn't anything graceful about the way he dove for the pistol, but it worked. Getting to his feet he cocked the weapon then looked to the downed gangster, now holding his bleeding leg.

"You little fu-"

Haga couldn't contain his frightened scream when he saw the teenage detective so coldly pull the trigger. In one shot Gatō was dead, a decent-sized hole in his head from which blood pooled outwards. Fear had paralyzed every part of his body preventing him from so much as twitching. What he'd just seen, the cold execution of killing and cold calmness that followed, these weren't things he expected to see in teenager, especially one that maintained such a happy and positive public image. Mouth wide in shock Haga watched Goro collect the knife that lay embedded in Gatō's leg before turning to him, a look of cold malice building in his eyes. It was then that he finally realized Goro Akechi was not an ordinary teenager, far from it.

"W-W-W-Wait! Wait! P-P-P-Please, I-I'm sorry, I-I-I-I'm sorry!" He screamed as fear consumed him.

Goro had already decided he was going to kill Haga, the only question was how painful was he going to make the man's death. A voice in the back of his head screamed for him to repay him in kind for the shocks and waterboarding, he wanted to listen to it.

 _ **Goro, time.**_

Robin Hood was right, he didn't have time. "How do I get out of here?" Goro's eyes were hard and his voice frigid. With the action winding down so too was the adrenaline rush that propelled him through his escape. The pain in his left leg was beginning to flare up as was the discomfort in his stomach.

"O-Out the door, go left then make a right turn. I-I-It'll lead you straight out of the sewers into a creek."

Goro nodded his head in acceptance, then took aim at Haga's head.

"N-N-No! I told you-"

"I'd make it quick." Haga's head flew backwards while a spray of blood exploded outwards staining the wall behind him.

 _ **Now that that's settled, get moving. I'll cover your escape.**_ Loki barked appearing at the edge of his vision as a translucent outline.

"How?"

Whenever he asked Loki a question he'd learned to judge the answer based on how much laughing the Norse trickster did before answering. Low, dark chuckles such as the one he gave Goro at that moment were the kind that told him not to question him. _**Just go, I'm going to cause a little…fuss.**_

Goro was out the door and speeding down the hallway as fast as his tired legs could carry him. Meanwhile, Loki floated over to the pipes that ran up the ceiling and out of the room. Grinning from ear-to-ear the Persona put a pair of fingers to the pipes and focused.

 _ **You may think you're in control, but I've got a news flash for you,'God', you're not. You thought that boy would follow the script you laid out, that I would follow that script. Oh, what a fool you are.**_

* * *

He may have been handful most days, but times like this, Goro was grateful he had Loki as a Persona. Chatterbox as he was, he was good at causing chaos. Something had happened with the plumping of the sewage tunnel and heating, steam was blowing out of all the pipes and fanning out covering the entire tunnel. He was back to sweating like a pig and could barely see, but he remembered Haga's instructions, and that was enough for him to keep going.

His feet pounded nonstop against the granted walkways, pain flared in his left leg with every move, but all that was secondary. A fire had been lit in his chest and it was pushing him forward. As he ran an odd sense of serenity began to wash over him. It felt like he was back in Mementos, running to escape a Palace's destruction or defenses.

 _ **Rather it is Black Mask or Crow, the person behind them remains the same.**_ Robin Hood lightly encouraged in his ear.

They had been right, sure he didn't have his personal weapons or equipment, but he had his will, and that was all he needed to get through this.

Muffled voices at his six o'clock alerted him to pursuers. His footsteps gave him away as a rush of bullets followed. He was lucky none of them could see too well through the smoke or else Goro was sure he'd have taken a direct hit.

Single shot grazed his right arm causing him to gnash his teeth in repressed pain. Stopping in his tracks he spun around and angled his gun.

 _ **Two inches to your left.**_

He squeezed the trigger and fired off two shots. It was faint, but he heard bodies dropping. More footsteps came followed by gunfire. Goro fired again resulting in similar thuds, he didn't bother to stick around for more.

Further up the steam began to thin out yet the heat bathing him remained. Rather it was him or some other factor Goro didn't know, all he did was press his body forward. Exhaustion was setting in after a long wait and it was determined to knock him down. Second by second Goro felt his vision grow darker and darker, yet the light remained. Stopping to pause for a moment he knelt over, his left leg had a visible trail of red running through it and blood dropped from the wounds on his head into little puddles. Seeing the scarlet stains motivated him to push onwards, towards the light.

Goro never registered when his feet stopped hitting hard metal and became immersed in dirty water and met the cold hard ground. Cool afternoon air smashed against his exposed skin. After everything he'd been through in the last few hours, he welcomed the feeling. Barely standing he looked upwards to see a sky painted multiple shades of red and orange and yellow.

"H…Heh…all that…for this…" His vision was already deeming and what strength he had was abandoning him. Despite that, he managed to remain standing long enough to hear and see one last thing. Turning to his left he saw two figures approaching him. He could make out what they were and he felt the urge to raise his gun, but he didn't have any strength left. As he tried a third object came into his field of vision-a familiar blue insect. "What…what the hell…do you…want from me?"

With those words Goro Akechi toppled over, his strength at last expended and his body pushed to the brink.

* * *

 **Well, Goro's gotten the tar beaten out of him just like Akira had, but hey, he escaped! I went back and forth writing this on how much I wanted to detail a seventeen-year-old getting tortured, eventually deciding on this. Not fun to write, but it's over…for now. Also, I'm sure you all can guess the respective bigs of the story are taking turns at Goro. Next chapter we'll see the aftermath of Goro's great escape and check in on some other characters to see how they're handling things. Leave a review to let me know what you all think of this chapter!**


	9. Chapter 8-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt1

**I do no own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 8-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt.1**

 _ **November 16**_ _ **th**_ _ **, late evening…**_

As the train door slid open Ann quietly followed Ryuji out and through the bustling crowd. He clearly hadn't given any thought to her as he was walking ahead like a man possessed. In a sense he was, the only question was Ann going to be the one to perform the exorcism. She wasn't looking forward to it, but she knew eventually it was going to have be done. Another day of searching, and no results to show for it, all while the media played up Goro's disappearance for all its worth.

In other words, they were taking the heat for it.

The media had been relentless in attempting to pin the explosion at Goro's apartment and his disappearance on them, and it was working. Every other talk show host and correspondent brought their names up as culprit. It was almost comically how little over a month ago they had the entire country raving about them, and now they were being called everything from murders to homegrown terrorists.

With that in mind it wasn't hard to see why Ryuji was in a fouler than average mood thought she suspected there was a deeper more underlying reason.

"Hey," He froze like a statue when she caught his wrist and didn't turn around until she grunted at him. Hundreds of people passed them without giving the pair a second glance which helped her spit out the next couple of words. "Let's…get something to eat before we turn in for the night. It's been a long day and I could go for a bite."

As she expected Ryuji raised an eyebrow but put up no argument. Given his usual personality Ann knew he was in a seriously bad mood. "What do you have in mind?"

"Ramen? My treat?"

"What's the catch?"

Her lips ticked upwards for a second at seeing some of the old Ryuji. "I won't drag you along on one my shopping or make you cheer me up after a bad photo shoot."

"Uh-huh, and what else? Trips like this don't come for free." Before he knew he was already walking with Ann keeping pace beside him. He refused to look at her. "Look, if you're trying to cheer me up, knock it off. I'm fine, alright?"

"And this is why we let Akira do all the talking, you suck at lying." The quarter-American girl snickered.

"Hey! I can lie! It's just it takes me a while to come up with something convincing!"

"During which anyone with a brain will have already guessed you're BSing them, yeah, Ryuji, you're a natural charmer."

While she continued to snicker to herself Ryuji snorted. "Here I thought you were supposed to be trying to cheer me up. Guess I still can't figure out what's going in that head of yours, not that I want."

"Oh really? Maybe if you did it'd keep you from making a fool of yourself." He looked ready to fire back at her until his mouth suddenly slammed shut. Whenever he was going to say was either going to be rude or he didn't want it to be said in the open. Either way Ryuji surprised her a little by actually thinking before speaking. It'd only taken him almost a year to learn how to do so.

No matter the situation Ann had come to realize something about Ryuji, the ramen shops of Ogikubo were an almost sanctuary for him. It was quite strange considering he used to frequent the place with his track teammates. Ann liked to think what reservations he'd had after Kamoshida had been cleared up thanks to Akira. The minute they noses caught the sweet smell of ramen being cooked she noticed the punk's demeanor to brighten considerably. Stopping before his preferred restaurant he turned back to look at her. Ann readied herself to explain why she was being so generous to him. The questioning never came as a sliver of doubt flickered across his face, after that he lead the way in. Ann knew what that flicker of unease was-fear.

Time passed quickly enough and they were sitting at a small table of their own near the corner. To onlookers they seemed like just another pair of ordinary teenagers, maybe a couple, and not two of Japan's most-wanted. In the distant background both could hear a radio playing as they slurped down on their afternoon meal.

"You know, when I was a kid I always kind of hoped when they talked about me on TV it'd be for winning a gold medal." He stated in a too-quiet for comfort voice.

"I can understand the feeling. Then again, given the situation, I guess it's a good thing they're not actually saying our names. If they were then…I really don't wanna think about it."

"You don't have to force yourself."

Ann was in the middle of swallowing a mouth full of noodles when she heard Ryuji's statement. Looking at him with a half-puzzled expression he laid back in his seat.

"Eating ramen with me. Look, I know you're on one of those crazy diets and-"

Holding up one finger she silenced him while she swallowed her food. After a quick sip of water Ann faced her teammate with a hard glare. "Hey, for the record while yes, I am on a diet, it's not like I'm starving myself. I'll have you know I eat a lot more junk food than you think, and I don't suffer one bit for it." One of his eyebrows rose causing her to feel a wisecrack coming on. "One word and I swear I'm reaching across this table and smacking you, courtesy be damned."

His lips briefly twitched upwards. Ann wasn't sure why but that caused her heart to flutter a little. "Same old Ann, not even having our heads on wanted posters is enough to take the fight out of you."

"Well, at least I've still got some fight left in me." Crossing her arms, she looked sideways trying to avoid meeting his chestnut brown eyes. "Besides, it's not moping around is going to help us find Akechi or clear our names." Those words shattered the invisible truce they'd maintained since stepping off the train. Like a collection of storm clouds Ryuji's mood darkened; hunching forward he stared down at his half-finished bowl with a solemn frown. "He's out there somewhere, I don't know where, but he's out there. Sure, he's an asshole but…I refuse to believe that explosion was enough to get him or that Shido's caught him."

"That's pretty optimistic of ya'. If Shido doesn't have him for all we know he could be sleeping in some gutter or camping out in a sewage pipe." There was before the Phantom Thieves' strongman fell back against his seat with his eyes trained on the ceiling. "Ya' know, at first I wouldn't have minded if that happened. I always thought…he was just some arrogant prick that liked running his mouth off. I…didn't need to know all that, I don't think I wanted to know all that about Akechi."

Though no one had said it Goro's emotional outburst little over two nights ago was still weighing heavily on their minds. None of them were really sure what to except with they cornered him, but the confession they ended up…and the side of the normal calm and sunny-faced prince detective was something that had deeply shocked and unnerved them all. All of them had gone to sleep giving at least a passing thought to his words, and then they woke up the next morning to a bombing. Things had moved so quickly from there; they all fanned out over Tokyo hoping to find him before Shido did. Ever call they picked up hope fluttered in their hearts only to be snuffed out by news of no luck or dead ends.

Using one of her chopsticks Ann lightly began to stir her mostly full bowl. "You…do you think Akechi met what he said about not caring if…he went down too?" That was the part Ann couldn't get out of her head. She'd been a little terrified of Goro when he went on his rant; what scared her though wasn't the slight tinge of insanity but the _clarity_ he spoke with. He was talking about basically throwing his life away without a second thought and he was only seventeen years old, barely a year older than most of them.

"Hell yeah, he meant what he said, and that's what scares me." Briefly their eyes meant, hers in wide acknowledgement while his were narrowed and focused. "Ann, that look in Akechi's eyes when the told us why he was doing this… _he didn't care_ if he ended up dead or locked away. He just…he just wants to make Shido pay for what he to him and his mother." Lying his right hand flat against the table he recalled the look of sheer, almost fanatically determination that colored the brown-haired teen's face that night. It was rimmed with a passionate anger the likes of which Ryuji knew all too well. And that was exactly what frightened him. "He killed people, Ann, was willing to kill us, if he was willing to go that far, I don't think giving up his life was off the table. All for…God, that f'in idiot!" By reflex his fingers immediately balled into a fist that was raised and nearly came down upon the table only to be stopped by a soft yet firm hand. His eyes immediately zeroed in on the hands owner. Rarely did he take the time to notice but when he did Ann had some of the most startling eyes he'd ever seen, especially when they were focused. Her entire personality seemed to change from the quiet and somewhat meek girl he knew in junior high to the fiery Panther he'd come to know and rely on.

Minutes during which the natural blonde refused to let go of her friend's fist until she was sure he'd calmed down enough. Slowly she saw the raw emotion that had once consumed Ryuji's face come back under control. Even so, she kept her left hand clapped over his. "Were you thinking about yourself when he…told us his story? About his mom?"

"How couldn't I?" he snorted sounding more depressed than angry. "My…I'd give anything to settle things with my old man for what he did to my mom, or at least I think I would." Ryuji's eyes slammed shut in an attempt to block out the painful memories of not just his own father but of Kamoshida. His merciless taunting of him he could brave, but when he turned his words towards his mother it always felt like a flip was switched off in his brain, or maybe a lock was unlocked and something dangerous was set free. "Did I ever look like that when Kamoshida talked shit about my mom? Every time he did all I could picture was wanting to punch his face in until I finally went and did it, and the whole track team ended up paying for it."

The parallels might as well have been neon-lighted. Softly rubbing her thumb over Ryuji's fist Ann thought of her own past run-ins with racism and sexism. She'd wanted to hit back against those who mocked her for things she couldn't control, things she should have felt proud of. "Maybe that's what the difference between us and him was, we were able to hold ourselves back, but Akechi…"

"Once his mom…" Though it was brief and sandwiched between a slew of other things Ryuji had picked up on the implication. He vividly remembered his heart skipping a beat, and when he got home thanking his mother with a hug that left her worried for his mental health. Ann squeezed his hand again pulling him back from the hallway of memories he was on the verge of crossing back into. "I still had the track team, even if they hated my guts. Then Akira came along and he…you guys are…" For the first time he recognized the warmth that had eclipsed his right fist. Letting his eyes wonder downwards he saw Ann's perfectly manicured hands still holding his fist and immediately blushed. Ann followed his line of sight and blushed as well, then withdrew her hand with almost lightning-fast speed. "A-Anyways, i-it's because of you guys I didn't go off the deep end like he did. I couldn't abandon you guys so…I…"

"Still thinking about the last thing he said to us?" The pig-tailed haired girl deduced. "Yeah, that kind of hurt, but I…don't think I can blame Akechi for it. He's gotten this far relying on no one but himself so-"

"I still hate the way he accused us! I mean, it's not like I like the bastard, but…ah, dammit!" Able to keep some control he ran his hands over his dyed yellow hair. "I don't run out on people, even if they're assholes!"

"We know that, we just have to ask the track team and Morgana." She laughed.

"Exact-uh, never mind! Anyways, if nothing else I'm sticking this out through to the end, and I'm making sure he does too."

Ann studied her friend and teammate with curious eyes. Ever since forming the Phantom Thieves she'd come to see many different sides of Ryuji, softer and even tender sides she never would have guessed he possessed. One of those sides was passionately denying when he felt concern for someone who he claimed to hate with all his might. Now was no different. "Sure it's not because you…actually want to reach out to him like Akira did?"

"Hey, you know I'm…that's his job. He's the leader and front man, right?" He said with an almost pouty face. "I _don't_ like him and want him to pay for what he's done, but I want it on our terms, not anyone else's."

"Same here, but…to be honest when Akechi…he kind of reminded me of you, passion-wise." From the way he looked at her the young model realized Ryuji was trying to figure out if he'd been either insulted or praised. She decided to go straight for the goal. "Hey, I'm just saying, we all thought Akechi was this clean-cut nice-guy instead of…ya' know. He seems to hate authority almost as much as you do, except he knows how to hide it better."

Her words hadn't cleared up the confusion he felt, but Ryuji felt it was best to leave it there. He had enough on his mind. "I…uh, you should finish eating the rest of your ramen 'else it'll get cold and that's yen I'm not wastin'."

"Don't worry about it, I'm the one who dragged you here so I'll pay you back somehow." It was funny of her to say that considering she'd already picked up her chopsticks and gone back to eating.

Save for the sounds of chewing and slurping the evening meal was comfortable silence. For the next fifteen minutes the model and former runner were able to wrap themselves in a blissful cocoon of silence. It would serve them well when they stepped outside to confront the harsh requirements of their duties as Phantom Thieves.

* * *

 _ **6:00 PM…**_

"He's late."

"You're being impatient again, Shido-san."

"Am I ask too much for that idiot to be punctual, Hirobumi?"

Shrugging off the cold glare the bald-headed man shot him Hirobumi went back to his drink, a fine-tasting wine imported all the way from France, Hirobumi's most beloved foreign country. It annoyed Shido somewhat that one of his closest and most vital allies was a man so accustomed to taking things at his own pace rather than keeping up with the current. Even before he'd began on his goal he found that trait of his insufferable, and it'd only gotten worse as his organization's plans began to take off. Still, Hirobumi was useful, and the man knew that. Didn't make dealing with him any easier.

"You should order something, at least try to look as if this is a casual meeting and not some criminal plot." It was remarks like that which made Shido sometimes contemplate replacing Hirobumi with a more…obedient man or woman. With his usually well-groomed black hair that was graying at the sides and finely-trimmed mustache he was a stark contrast to Shido, not that that was a bad thing. The almost elderly appearance and air of wisdom he gave off did wonders as the Speaker of the House of Representatives; it made him easier to trust, not to mention he had over a decade of experience that Shido himself lacked. "I know when we're discussing business you're far less casual than when you're in front of the camera, but it wouldn't hurt to smile a little."

"I'll smile when I've won the election." He fired back keeping his voice level as not to draw attention.

"You've practically _already_ won the election. Just sit back and enjoy yourself a little." Beckoning to the window where a sea of lights and buildings lay sprawled out behind a glass sheet he laughed. "The only threat to our plans is on the run with the ground shrinking beneath him. It's only a matter of time before the detective is caught. It's over."

"Every second that…boy is out there is another risk to us, to me."

"Really, can you at least promise me after you formally win the election you'll take a short break?"

Scowling at him Shido turned his attention to the rest of the high-rise restaurant he'd chosen to hold this meeting in. Almost every man and woman having a drink or dining he recognized, and almost every one of them would hopefully be working for him by New Year's Eve. It almost annoyed him how so casually they went along with their lives ignorant of the potential threats facing the country. He'd correct that in time. Just as he was about to concede to Hirobumi's request he spotted the man he'd been looking for making his way through the crowd. Shido couldn't contain the sneer that rose upon seeing the ginger-headed company executive he'd had to bring under his employ to advance his plans. Like Hirobumi if he could have replaced him he would have, perhaps after the election was over he could do some rearranging at SEBEC to see a new executive in power.

Hidenao Kawata was arrogant, he was smart enough to maneuver his way up the corporate latter and supply Shido with the resources and backing his party needed to tighten their grip on the Metaverse, but he was too high on himself for Shido's taste. It was evident in the way he walked to the way he spoke to him. Even though he knew who held the real power from time to time he still made slips up that made Shido fight to restrain himself.

"You're late." He coldly jabbed as the redheaded thirty-nine-year-old sat down.

"Hey, I had some things to take care of. I keep telling you it's not as easy as it looks smuggling shelved research and company products without raising too much attention. I've had a very stressful week."

"If you're having trouble then maybe it's time I started looking to someone else within SEBEC's employ to get me what I want."

"You can try, but I guarantee you none of them will be as good as me."

Shaking his head in annoyance Hirobumi faired a passer waiter over for a refill. Finally, Shido seemed to relax a little as evident by him ordering a drink while Kawata did likewise. Shooting a passing glance at the youngest member of their little group meeting. His forty years in the National Diet had given him a keen eye when it came to reading people, and what he read on Kawata told him he was not lying when he said he'd had a hard week. His suit was unfolded matted in several areas he probably hadn't taken notice of and his usually well-combed hair had a few strains out of place. Lastly, there was more than the usual playful aggression in his green eyes that flickered back to Shido who looked outwards to the cityscape.

"I'm assuming there's been some…setbacks?" He finally said catching Kawata's lingering stare.

"Nothing that I can't manage." The younger male quickly defended waving his hand. "It's just some people getting nosey and going sniffing around something they don't understand."

"Is this going to interfere with the armor testing scheduled for the end of this week?" Shido's glare cut through the mask of false-confidence Kawata had thrown up. Just a second ago he was willing to challenge the bald-headed man with all his bravado, but not he might as well been a mouse cowering in its hole.

"We…I have had to smoke out some…spies in the company. Someone knows what I'm up to and is leaking on me. I don't know if its one of the other four executives, one of my guys, or an outsider, but there's definitely someone onto our trail. Two days ago there was a virus in the system eating away all of our data, we tried to track where it came from, but we ended up with nothing." Kawata admitted sinking back into his seat as their waiter returned with their orders. Waiting until he was safely out of earshot Kawata decided to hit back. "Did you say the detective would be taken care of in no time? Shido, it's been almost two days and luck finding him. Are you sure that old man is really up to stuff?"

"Mitsumoto is the best we've got." Hirobumi quickly cut in shooting the redhead a silencing glare. "All this is proving is that the boy's craftier than we thought, but the result will be the same, right, Shido?"

Behind his mask of calm apathy Shido felt himself steaming. He wished he were out there searching if only so he could find Akechi and ring his neck with his own hands. "You're speaking as if that's even a question. Besides, if Mitsumoto doesn't prove up to the task then I already have some one lined up to take his place. Gentlemen, one way or another this problem will be resolved. _I_ am the one asking if you two can come through on your respective ends."

"Like I said, it's not easy diverting power for Dr. Frankenstein's little science experiments, but I'll admit the results are worth it." Kawata chuckled taking a swing of his champagne. "I missed the last test run so when's the next one?"

"It astounds me that despite being partially responsible for the advances into cognitive science you're rarely there for any of the meetings or briefings. Christ, Kawata, it wouldn't harm you to show up at least one testing demonstration so you'll have an idea what it is you're spending SEBEC's money on."

Hearing that the redhead company executive scuffed. "Hey, not to demean you or anything, but running a company like SEBEC is hard work. Especially since we've had to deal with that damn four-eyed bastard trying to buy company stock. Could you believe there's actually a growing voice to let him do it? Unbelievable!"

"Kawata," Again the younger man went dead quiet at hearing his superior address him in that cold tone. "While there's little doubt in my mind your problems are real, I still expect you to fulfill your commitment to me and your country. Is that understood?"

"…Yes sir."

"Good, I've come too far to let everything I've worked for be unraveled by your incompetence or some idiot sticking their nose where it doesn't belong. If the situation becomes grave enough give me names and I will have them dealt with accordingly."

Kawata knew he'd already pushed his luck far enough for one day, but he couldn't seem to fight off the old urges rising up within him. Briefly biting his lips then clawing at the cloth-covered table he performed the dangerous act of meeting Shido in the eye. At the very least he didn't waver from the man's cold glare. "Shido-san…our…deal still applies when all of this is over, right?"

Silently the Speaker of Representatives watched the battle of wills that ensued between the politician and corporate executive. From time to time Kawata surprised his co-conspirators with acts of determination such as this. They were moments to be seen and feared. Behind his orange-tinted glasses Shido's merciless eyes examined Kawata as if he were a corpse about to be autopsied.

Or not.

"Yes, Kawata, I get what I want, I'll help you take full control of SEBEC. In spite of your mouth and general attitude you've been more useful to me than I'm willing to admit. However," he snapped narrowing his eyes. "Once you become chief executive I expect you to remember who put you there."

For a minute it looked like Kawata was ready to fire off a sarcasm-laden response only for it be extinguished as the last second. Obediently nodding his head Hirobumi watched Shido's gaze return back to the cityscape. Sighing he rubbed his temples.

"So, can we finally order some food or would you two rather I leave you alone for some alone time?"

* * *

 _ **Unknown, 7:59 PM…**_

Goro felt his fingers twitching and his legs moving before his eyes peeled opened. Dark spots danced in his vision before dissipating to reveal a blur-covered world he could barely make out. His movements swiftly came to an end when he felt a dull pain shot up his left leg causing him to wince. Without even knowing it he felt his hand reaching out to his leg, remembering the pocket knife digging into his flesh.

"You shouldn't move around too much, you took a pretty bad ass-kicking." The voice was young, childish, yet he couldn't make out its origin.

He felt himself sitting up and moved his hands to his face. Was this what a hangover felt like? If so he could understand why his mother spent almost the entire morning in bed forcing him to go to more extreme measures to wake her. Were it not for the hazy flood of memories coming back to him Goro would have laid his head back and tried his hardest to go back to sleep. At last his blurred began to clear giving him a good look at his surroundings. Thankfully he wasn't in a cell or some underground closest, instead it looked like he was in a bedroom, albeit a small one at that. Glancing to his right he saw an opened window from which a cool night breeze flowed inward tickling his exposed skin. Through the curtains he saw the faint light of street lights and heard the hustle and bustle of the streets. As he scoured the rest of the room his attention fell on the owner of the voice-a child.

From what Goro could discern he couldn't have been any older than eleven or twelve at best. His hair auburn brown in contrast to his while his eyes were dark green. Immediately they locked onto his and Goro felt a familiar shiver run up his spine. The boy was analyzing him. In his hands was a black DS he was sure he'd been playing up until he began to stir. He almost wished the child would go back to playing the device if it meant he'd stop looking at him. As Goro began to sit up the child remained in his seat, his gaze never once straying from him.

"Where am I?" The detective finally said hoping to break the ice. "Who are you?"

Shutting the Nintendo product, the child jumped out of his seat. "I'll go get my sister and uncle, they'll be happy to know you woke up, even if you are a little grouchy."

His left eyebrow twitched as he watched the pre-teen disappear behind the door way leaving Goro by himself. Was he still dreaming? If this was a dream it was a strange one, and he liked to have woken up and faced reality. The room he was in possessed a window to his left as well as a lamp and a nightstand with a clock while to his right was a white-wooded slide-in closest whose handle was just barely out of arms reach. Looking at it he half-expected some one or something to pull the door back and jump out at him. The temptation to pull the doors aside and look was tempting but he held himself back. Turning his eyes forward he was greeted to a small black-wood TV stand on which stood a fifteen-each TV that was running some evening show he didn't recognize. A little to the left of the stand huddled against the wall stood a black bookshelf lined from top to bottom with books and boxes. A guest bedroom, which meant he was in a house or apartment of some sort.

"Hey, detective! Glad you're finally awake, and just in time for dinner too!" Boomed a female voice from the hallways. Instinctively Goro narrowed his eyes and readied his body. If one thing was out of place he was bolting, not ifs or buts about it.

Stepping into his line of sight was a girl his age with waist-length orange-hair not quite unlike Futaba's, but with a more fiery hue to it. Glancing at it he could tell this girl and the boy he met earlier were related by blood. In addition to that there were her emerald-colored eyes, eyes that all but zeroed in on him before she was even completely in the room. Her lips curved upwards into a sly smile that made Goro's blood run cold in seconds as she walked up to his bed giving him a decent view of her upper body. A red t-shirt curved her chest from which her decent-sized bust protruded while a pair of dark blue jeans adorned her legs. Upon catching sight of his sharp gaze she chuckled.

"Relax, you're in the clear here," She said waving her hands in mock surrender. "My name's Natsuo, Natsuo Hashioka, my brother, Shuya, and I pulled you out from the sewers. Someone really had a bone to settle with you, huh, Mister Prince Detective?"

He'd been called that so many times in the last three days he was beginning to get tired of the title. Not to say he didn't have reservations about it to begin with. "…Why did you rescue me?" Goro didn't have the patience for pleasantries nor did he have it in him to beat around the bush. This woman, this girl, he didn't like the way she was eyeing him, it was just like the boy from earlier-she was studying him, reading him.

"Hm, let's see," She stated putting a thumb to her chin in mock thought. "Maybe I thought it'd be cool to have Tokyo's resident golden boy indebted to me, nah, it was probably because I didn't want cops and the media buzzing around my neighborhood when I'm working, oh, I think I got it! Call it a whim!"

Goro wanted to wipe that grin from her face, but the residual pain in his leg and chest kept him from doing anything more than growling. Apparently Natsuo must have been a mind reader as she held her hand to her mouth to keep her snickering light and hidden; Goro further narrowed his glare hoping it'd be enough to frighten the girl into silence.

He had no such luck.

"Hey, hey, I'm serious. You're safe here. No cops or yakuza, trust me."

At the word 'yakuza' Goro clinched the sheets tighter showing she'd struck a nerve. Seeing that Natsuo's gaze softened a bit before she stepped aside allowing the boy and another male to enter the room. This one put Goro on immediate alert. He was tall and somewhat gruff looking with his pitch-black hair that was graying at the corners and edges. Goro had to admit, the goatee and mustache he had were amongst the most-well trimmed he'd seen. Sharply contrasting to his hair, he wore a loosened up white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. In his was a steaming hot boil of what he figured to be ramen based on the smell. Immediately Goro felt his mouth water and his stomach growl causing him to blush bright red.

It did not go unnoticed unfortunately. "Alright, Uncle Jo, I think that answers the question of rather or not he's hungry." Natsuo laughed while her brother snickered a little.

"Don't mind her, around here she gets off on everyone's suffering, mine included." The adult man proclaimed setting the bowel into Goro's arms. "Eat up, if I had to guess you haven't had any real food in a while, have you?"

The polite thing to do would have been to give an immediate answer-Goro was too hungry to be polite. Grabbing the chopsticks that he'd been given he greedily chowed down on the ramen not quite unlike how he devoured the cheeseburger he'd eaten barely a day over again. The fact he had an audience to his messy eating mattered little as his only concern was filling the hole in his stomach. Who knew getting tortured would leave him hungry enough to eat a bear.

"If you've seen the news, then you understand." He finally said after a short and somewhat embarrassing burp. The man took his half-empty bowl promising to come back with a refill. "You people _have_ seen the news, right?"

"What news? Oh, you mean the stuff about your apartment getting bombed and you going missing." Natsuo jeered grabbing the remote from the shelf and changing the channel on the TV. Of course, his continued disappearance was the main story, again. "So, who'd you piss off?"

"What?"

"The explosion." The boy, Shuya, called out hopping onto the foot of the bed then pulling out his DS. "It was a mob hit, wasn't it?"

All the food he'd eaten suddenly threatened to force its way back up to the surface. Wide as the bowel he'd just been eating out of the brown-haired assassin looked between the boy and girl. The former remained glued to his DS either ignorant or uncaring of the fierce glare he was shooting him, the Natsuo on the other hand gave him something of a daft smile. She knew they were riling him up and weren't afraid to probe him. He supposed that was only natural, they'd taken him in and fed him, he was their problem now. Goro felt his stomach rumble to the point he thought his appetite would die when the older man returned carrying a plate of…tacos?

"You're not against Mexican food, are you?" Natsuo asked walking over and reaching for one of the three freshly cooked tacos. The man grunted something that made her retreat with comically tears in her eyes.

Taking the plate into his hands Goro took a bite out one of them. Truthfully, he'd never had tacos before, not even when he started hanging out with Akira and the others. His eyes lit up as he sampled the Mexican dish leading to him taking yet another bite, then a third, and finally a forth.

"It's a good thing it was taco night." Shuya remarked.

"Glad you're enjoying them. Eat up, I made plenty, more than enough for everyone." The man said chuckling. "Like I said, I imagine you haven't had any solid food to eat in a while."

Pausing he looked at his three unlikely caretakers with uneasy eyes. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the them, but at the very least he felt he could write them off as nonthreatening. For now anyway. "Sort of. I…I can't go to the police. I know that may sound strange but-"

"Nope, not strange at all. The cops are in someone's pockets and that someone wants you dead." Natsuo whistled sitting on left corner of the bed with her left leg crossed over her right knee. "Luckily, you landed here, the den of the Hashioka clan, a family fallen from grace who are now no more than ants."

The teenage assassin wasn't sure if Natsuo was insulting herself or trying to make him feel better. Not that it really mattered since he focused in on the TV. As usual his disappearance was being pushed on the Phantom Thieves. He could only imagine how Akira and the others were taking it. Odds were, they were cursing him for bringing more stress and trouble unto them. Lacking the strength to tell them to change the channel Goro focused on eating, taking occasional sips of water. In what felt like no time at all the plate was empty and the glass of water beside him was empty. An unrestrained burp fell from his lips earning another snicker from Natsuo while Shuya remained focused on his game.

"Um…thank you."

"Don't mention it." The man said taking the plate and glass. "By the way, the name's Jo, just call me that and we'll have no problems."

"A-Alright." He said. Goro wasn't quite sure what it was, but something about the man seemed familiar to him. His chestnut-brown eyes were calm and accepting and his body language was completely and utterly relaxed. He knew this man was stronger and smarter than he appeared; Goro wasn't in a hurry to test how much stronger and smarter he was. "Not to be rude, but…who are you people and why did you save me?"

Looking at his niece and nephew Jo placed his hands in his pockets. "They found you by one of the sewer runoffs. Luckily the runoff they found you in wasn't that far from here so they loaded you up and smuggled you in through the backdoor."

Goro looked at the siblings who stared back at him with dull eyes then turned to Jo. "And you…were okay with that?"

He shrugged. "Hey, strange things happen around this neighborhood. After taking a look at your wounds we fixed you up and waited for you to wake up. You were tortured, weren't you?"

Gore could have fought the accusation, but he knew nothing good would come of it. Jo had spoken it as a statement more than a question, and the piercing look he gave Goro silently told him that lying wasn't in his best interest. So he didn't. "You're right, I…ran into some…unsavory characters. I…I can't go to the police right now."

"Then it seems like we're going to be having the Second Coming of the Prince Detective shacking up with us." Natsuo grinned placing both hands behind her hand. Goro had to admit, the girl was taking this while thing in strides; he found that both amazing and somewhat disturbing. "If you need anything just let us know, it'll be another day or so before you can start walking around, not like you should be out walking around. Eh, anyways, I'll go get you some clothes tomorrow so you'll have something decent to wear."

"You looked like shit when we found you." Shuya interjected.

Goro wasn't sure which startled him more-the fact he'd just heard a twelve-year-old curse aloud or Shuya sounded like he'd seen worse. Glancing at the trio he found them all to be enigmas that both mesmerized and terrified him. Though they'd saved him and allowed them into his home he still felt…nervous, scared almost. Maybe that was just his nerves or maybe it was his survival instincts. He didn't know which one to believe.

"Your gun's in a safe place by the way." The youngest of the trio spoke up again snapping Goro out of his thoughts. This time the boy met his startled glare with his equally half-interested green eyes. "Relax, it's not like we're going to kill you in your sleep, are we, Uncle Jo?"

Was that supposed to be a joke?

"Maybe not kill, just knock him out then ransom him," Natsuo answered giving the brown-haired teen a sideways grin. "The Prince-"

"Stop calling me that." It came out harsher than he intended to, or maybe Goro wanted it to sound harsh. "Just…just call me Akechi, anything but that. Okay?"

For the first time Natsuo's face softened while still maintaining eye-contact with him. Briefly her green eyes flickered to Jo. He seemed to have been studying Goro as well while he conversed with the kids. Whatever conclusions he'd come to about him he was keeping to himself. Shuya looked to him with those off-setting green yes before going back to his game.

"Alright, Goro Akechi, welcome to the Hashioka household." The orange-headed girl proclaimed in a lighter and friendlier voice. "Can we trust you to be a good guest while you're with us?"

Again, he could have lied, but he didn't have the strength nor the willingness to. The way in which Natsuo was looking at him, it reminded him almost of…Akira. "You have my word. I'll be good."

Lightning flashed before his eyes and air rushed into Goro's lungs. To him everyone and everything seemed to freeze in place.

 _Oh hell, not again!_

 _ **I am thou, thou art I...**_

 _ **Thou hast acquired new vows.**_

 _ **They shall become the wings of liberation that shatter thy chains of bondage.**_

 _ **With the births of the Sun, Moon, and Hanged Man Personas**_

 _ **I have obtained the wings winds of blessings that shall lead to freedom and salvation.**_

Once again, he saw tarot cards, three of them hovering before him. One showed a sun grinning rather wickedly as its blazing rays set fire to the land beneath it. The second showed a cloud-covered full moon brightly illuminated against a pitch-black sky. Lastly there was the one portraying a man hanging upside, his arms crossed and dry expression on his silhouetted face. Above him a crowd of people walked in one direction and at the corners he saw another crowd moving in the opposite.

"They may run a little big, but I think I have some spare clothes you can sleep in until tomorrow." Jo proclaimed knocking Goro out of his daze. His expression changed somewhat when he looked at him with larger than average eyes. "Something wrong? Upset stomach?"

"U-Uh? U-Um, n-no, I-I-I'm fine. Just…guess it's been a bit of a long day, my mind…isn't where it should be."

"Being tortured does that to you. Be thankful you aren't going to be having any major scars, God forbid your fanbase finds out and starts turning Tokyo upside down trying to find the ones responsible." With that Jo turned on his heels and left leaving Goro alone with Natsuo and Shuya, or Natsuo at least since Shuya got up and followed his uncle out the door barely a second later.

Turning to her Goro leaned forward. "Seriously, why did you save me? How'd you find me?"

"Shuya's the one that found you." Jumping off the bed she walked over to his side slightly unnerving Goro with how close she got. Natsuo reminded him a tad bit too much of Akira-a person that walked with air of suspicion and mystery around them, but unlike Akira who was subtle about it Natsuo was rather upfront. In that aspect his mind fell back on Ryuji who made no attempts to hide his thoughts and feelings. "You fell face-first with a gun in your hand looking like shit, we grabbed the gun, loaded you into a spare basket and wheeled you through some back alleys then-"

"Why?" Goro pressed going on the defensive. " _Why_ did you save me?"

Natsuo took notice of his guarded expression and spoke plainly. "Because it's something I wanted to do. You looked like you needed help so I decided to give it. Got a problem with that?"

Faint as it was Goro heard an edge in her voice, a challenge. "No…no, I don't. Thank…thank you." He said looking away.

By looking away he missed the near instantaneous transformation of her face from a stoic frown to a wide smile. "You're welcome, now come on, let's get you cleaned up. No offense, but you kinda stick, scratch that, you _really_ bad."

In one swift move Goro threw the sheets off and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. A slight jolt of pain ran up his left leg but nothing as severe as when he blacked out. Natsuo reached out her head to help him up, she pulled it back when he stood up on his own feet. Wincing a little he tested his left leg theorizing the injury would take about another day to heal. "Sleeping on the streets and running through the sewers will do that to you."

"Care to accurately explain the experience for me?" She grinned.

"…You're a strange girl, you know that?"

* * *

After two nights of sleeping on the streets and wondering around town like a drifter then being tortured a nice hot shower followed by falling face-first into an actual bed was like a trip to heaven. In seconds he was out like a light and happily sleeping away his troubles until fate decided to throw him yet another curve ball.

He awoke like someone had just slapped him away to the sound of chains swinging back and forth along with water periodically dripping. Bolting upright he found both his hands had been cuffed and the sleep ware he'd been loaned had been swopped out for an old-fashioned black and white prisoner uniform. "Okay, you've got to be kidding me now." Goro growled testing the chains before getting to his feet. Annoyance flared through him seeing his left leg was fittingly chained to a massive weight lying in the corner of the room. The cell he was in wasn't all that much bigger than the spare room he'd gone to sleep in, actually it might have been a tad bit smaller.

"Heh, sounds like Inmate B is awake! About damn time!" Snapped a female voice beyond the cell bars.

Hearing it Goro immediately ran over to the bars; he came face to face with what had to doubtlessly be two of the strangest children he'd ever seen. Firstly, they were twins given their facial symmetry and body height, not to mention their clothing. They were dressed in blue like correctional officers, one them carrying a clipboard while the other a stun baton. The former had her platinum blond hair done up in a long braid while the other had hers in a nun. Both of them had an eye-patch with a golden "V" imprinted on it, though on opposite eyes of each other. Their eyes, staring into those golden eyes Goro knew beyond the shadow of a doubt these two girls weren't human. Looking away from their eyes he examined their hats. He was somewhat bewildered when he came up with the word "oxymoron" from the letter inscribed on their blue and black hats.

"What…what the hell is this and who the hell are-"

"Silence! You don't get to ask the questions here!" Shouted the one with the stun baton, which was violently thrown against his cell bars lighting them up with blue bolts. Goro fell backwards stunned figuratively and metaphorically.

"This…isn't right. There was only supposed to be…one…" Muttered the other looking at something on her clipboard. From the way her brow was creased Goro had to guess she was thinking hard about something.

Not just her, her twin was looking at him with a mix of barely contained anger and partial curiosity. For fear of further inciting her wrath he kept his mouth shut.

"Hm, this is interesting, most interesting indeed. Unexpected as well, but not exactly unwelcome." Came a deep male voice that set Goro's nerves ablaze.

For the first time Goro took notice that there was someone else watching him. Behind the twins, through a haze of navy blue mist, in the center of the strange room he saw a flawless wooden desk at which sat a man who looked like he'd walked out of a horror movie. His suit was clean and pristine projecting an air of dignity and self-respect, but when he raised his head Goro did a double take. His eyes were so wide and bulging he thought there was no way they could have been real, and then there was his nose. He always thought Robin Hood's beak was impressive, but this man had a nose that might as well have been a long pale-colored banana.

"As I said, this is unexpected, a twist that I did not foresee. Regardless," He extended his gloved hand outwards. "Lost One, Welcome to my Velvet Room."

* * *

 **I figure that's a good place to end it. The last few chapters have been centered on breaking Goro down so I can say from this chapter is when he starts building himself back up. As you might have guessed Goro's going to have his own set of Confidants that'll help him do that, the list goes as follows:**

 **Natsuo-Sun Arcana**

 **Shuya-Moon Arcana**

 **Jo-Hanged Man Arcana**

 **Akira-Fool Arcana**

 **Sae-Judgement Arcana**

 **Haru-Empress Arcana**

 **Ryuji-Chariot Arcana**

 **Yusuke-Emperor Arcana**

 **Caroline and Justine-Strength Arcana**

 **Unknown-Hierophant Arcana**

 **Next chapter we see how Goro's first conversation with "Igor" goes and him settling into the Hashioka household.**


	10. Chapter 9-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt2

**I'd glad to see last chapter caught some of your interest, I won't waste time beating around the bush so let's get straight to the story.**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 9-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt.2**

Even if he wasn't a true detective Goro still liked to think he knew enough about detective work to tell when someone was bad news. Unlike his black-haired counterpart who seemed to be able to see the best in people Goro seemed to make it a habit to find the worst in them first. Perhaps it had something to do with his upbringing, the first decent person he met after his mother's death was taken away from him by some rich idiot's negligence, and after that he'd all but closed himself off to whatever good people might have had in them or tried to show him. Almost.

His sixth sense, every highly developed part of his mind and body screamed for him to get away from this man. One problem-he was chained to a weight ball he was sure weighed as much as he did and he was confined to a cell he could walk across in five easy steps. Not to mention even if he did escape where would he go? Attempting to mask his desperation he searched his surroundings for something he could use, a hidden exist or window that might offer escape. Of course, there was no such thing, he was completely trapped.

"What is this place? Where am I?" It wouldn't hurt to at least try to get a little information. His life very well depended on it.

"Geez, this one's just as stupid as the last prisoner!" Shouted twin-buns throwing her hands behind her head. "Even better, he looks just as hopeless as the other one!"

The quieter twin sized him up with her unsettling golden eyes. Though she held no physical armaments or showed outward malice Goro knew better than to test his luck. "This place, it is only meant to suit…no…no that's not right." She whispered continuously looking over her clipboard. Goro recognized that look of deep thought on her clipboard. "There used to be many, many would come at once…the group, the team…"

"Moving, on, as I said, Lost One, this is the Velvet Room. Have no fear for your physical body remains where it is, safe and secure." Spoke the long-nosed man putting Goro's immediate fears at ease, while at the same time giving rise to new ones. "It appears you've experienced meetings such as this, how odd."

"I have a term for things like this-nightmares." Replied the brown-haired teen still looking at the man with narrow eyes. Though he was happy to know his body was safe it meant his mind was at risk. This place was a mental world meaning his mental strength would be the deciding factor; that just made things even more dangerous.

"Existing between dream and reality, mind and matter, this place is accessible only to those that have formed a 'contract'. Lost One, it appears you have an unseen patron." The man behind the desk chuckled.

That sentence only made Goro feel even more at risk. The word "contract" opened too many possibilities. He'd already formed multiple "contracts" with various beings, and those contracts had changed his life in ways that either turned his stomach or reluctantly had made him a better person. Neither Robin Hood nor Loki, his supernatural guardians, had ever mentioned this place; speaking of which, where were they? If this was a mental world of some sort than he should have been able to call them forth. Shutting his eyes he tried to reach for them only to get nothing but static, literally.

"Apparently his brain isn't nearly as big as we thought. Idiot." Sneered baton-wielding twin. Wordlessly she smashed the electrified metal batt against Goro's cell bars pushing him back for fear of being shocked. Setting the rod atop her shoulders she leered at him with her one good eye. "You wake up bound in chains in a stupid-ass cell like that and you think you can call arrow-boy and horn-head to come rescue you? Ha! Prince Detective my ass!"

Okay, when they put it like that, it _really_ sounded stupid.

"This place, while Personas may manifest, their role here is different then what you are used to." Answered the other twin. "This realm is for you to execute and fuse the power that you have nurtured within yourself. This power of yours…it appears you are like him."

"Like who?" Goro repeated already having an idea of who they were talking about.

"The _other_ inmate, he's almost as stupid as you are! Made almost all the same mistakes when he first got here," briefly a something resembling a smile graced the loud-mouthed one's face. "He learned fast though. Fast enough he was able to make the climb from worthless to slight useful. He may just have a chance to avoid his fate, apparently it's a fate you're both sharing."

"And that would be?" Questioned the assassin.

"Ruin." Came the answer from the man behind the desk. Goro felt an intense shiver run up his spine when his eyes and those of his captor met. For the first time he wished it was the twins he was still speaking to. "This place is a reflection of the heart of its occupants, look around you, Lost One, what do you see and what do you think your future heralds?"

Captivity. Confinement. Loss. Pain. Hopelessness.

Death.

He wanted so desperately to write off this entire experience as nothing but a bad dream, a result of the tacos he'd eaten, but Goro knew better than that. His life wasn't normal and the supernatural existed, those two facts had been seared into his head making it possible for him to accept even the strangest of phenome, the strangest and the darkest. At his core he always knew what his future was going to be-all this long-nosed man did was confirm what he'd come to accept. Slowly his hands balled into fists as his glare intensified. The man behind the desk knew all this, he could see it in his overly large eyes.

"You can avoid it ya' know. As Justine said, that power inside of you, sacrifice and execution. It may hold the key to your salvation."

"Where are my Personas?"

Only a fool would have asked a question like that, and Goro was a fool. Snapping his fingers an azure conflagration appeared to the left of the seated man. The flames dispersed revealing the Archer of Sherwood and Trickster of the Gods, both of them chained by their arms and legs to wooden boards as tall and wide as their bodies.

"Robin! Loki!" Goro cried in alarm seeing his Personas in their bound state.

" **Goro!"** Shouted Robin Hood with clear relief.

" **Well, as far as reunions go, this sucks balls, doesn't it?"** Piped up the monochromatic god. In spite of the situation he smiled at Goro in an attempt to reassure him of his safey. **"Sorry you have to see us in this state, we know how you feel about bondage, but with an audience watching us…"**

Twin-buns caught the sly grin Loki shot her way and blushed redder than a tomato. "Quiet! You want me to execute you!"

" **Depends on what kind of execution we're talking about here. You know this isn't my first time being bound and gagged. If you** _ **really**_ **want to make this interesting you're gonna need some rope, a donkey, and a bucket full of-"**

"Loki/ **Loki**!" Screamed the teenage detective and archer in perfect unison.

" **Hey, what can I say, I'm into kinky shit, and whose fault is** _ **that?"**_ Cackled the horned god giving his master a sideways smile.

His eye twitching Goro considered asking about the "execution" part in regards to finally ridding himself of the dirty-talking Norse god that he'd had to put up with for over two years. _Oh hell, who's to say I do get rid of him and his soul or whatever comes back to haunt me?_ "Um, Mister…"

"Ah, where are my manners. I am Igor, the master of this place, never forget that." Declared the suited man beckoning to the two chained entities. "Luckily, Lost One, there is a means of avoiding this face. Re-"

" **Reapplying for that position in Shido's evil agency of ass-kissers?"** Loki offered.

Even though it was brief, a second or two at best, Goro caught the look of _sheer_ outrage that crossed Igor's face when Loki spoke. Wincing in sympathetic pain as the chains binding the god's arms and legs grew tighter he saw Robin Hood attempt to communicate something to his horned counterpart, probably a well-intention suggestion to shut the hell up. Looking to the two wardens Goro noticed both were attempting to avert their gaze from him, and failing miserably at it.

"Let them go." He finally spoke turning back to Igor. "Let them go and I promise they won't hurt anyone."

" **Except maybe the decorator of this place. Seriously? You call this a dungeon? Where's the torture rack or iron maiden?"** Loki snarked completely ignoring the pointed glares of Robin and Goro.

Goro's highly adapted ears picked up the sound of fingers snapping over a long drawn out chuckle. Both Personas disappeared in another blue blaze. When it faded they were still bound but in a different way-both were now on their knees with their arms tied behind their backs and sacks thrown over their heads. Suspended high over their heads were gleaming azure-edged guillotine blades with a stylized V and wreath engraved into the metal.

"As Caroline said, this is a place where the power you've nurtured inside of you can be refined, shall we start with these two?"

"What?!"

"While here you may fuse Personas that you've collected to create new stronger ones. In addition to that you can teach them new skills and abilities." Stated the one he deduced to be Justine.

"Yes, this is part of the 'rehabilitation' you must take if you wish to avoid ruin." Igor chimed in looking as relaxed as a cat lying on the porch.

Neither of them were struggling, but Goro could feel their mounting unease and worry. Akira had only given light hints and veiled them in jokes regarding where and how he attained new Personas, and now Goro was truly cursing him for it. Executing and fusing Personas? How the hell did he do it? Especially when he originally only had one? Biting his lip, he tried to formulate a plan on how to proceed. Rehabilitation? Ruin? He'd heard the second word so many times in the past, _Ruin for myself, ruin for Shido, ruin for the world that I hate so much? Exactly what in the hell is going on here?_ No, the question was who was going to benefit from it all.

"Lost One," Igor declared grabbing Goro's attention. "This two have served you well, but their purpose has been served. They have sheltered you and protected you, but now there is no need." With a grin that made his skin crawl the mysterious man pointed at the struggling two Personas. "Alone each of them are powerful, but together, they may prove powerful enough for you to overcome the darkness that has set its sights on you. Is that not desirable? Is that power not what you need to achieve the justice you longed for? Only you need do is say the word and it will be done."

 _Bullshit._ The word came out so fast Goro almost verbalized it. What Igor had spoken to him of was…enticing to say the least. God only knew what Shido had done to his Palace since his defection. Odds were it would take nothing less than a full siege to get in close enough to steal his Treasure, and that was without even thinking about his Shadow Self. From what few informants he'd gotten to talk Shido's Shadow Self was so monstrously powerful directly engaging it would only result in Goro breaking every bone in his body, or worse. If he fused Loki and Robin Hood together than maybe…maybe…

" _I just can't do it,"_ Akira had once told him during one of their breaks in Sae's Palace. _"Arsene is…well, he's part of me. He gets on my nerves, but he's a part of me I don't ever want to give up. Not for anything."_

Robin Hood was annoying and preachy, but he always had Goro's back, at his best and at his worst. Loki was flat out irritating and made him question his sanity at almost every turn, but he pushed him to go further when he thought he didn't have anything left to give.

They weren't perfect…they weren't easy to get along with…but they were…they were…

Walking up to the bars Goro firmly gripped the cold metal. Twin buns could have smashed her baton against his fingers and he wouldn't have cared. Summoning every ounce of his courage he looked the unnatural man in the eye. "No, tempting as the offer is…I'm keeping those two."

"…Why? Lost One, what good is this archer whose story ended in tragedy and god who lost his place in the heavens?" Igor pressed sounding too calm for Goro's liking.

"Maybe that's precisely why I want them with me." Proclaimed the wayward youth giving the long-nose man a sharp glare. He was through being scared and shackled. "I knew from the start my story was going to in tragedy, I know at the end of this I'm probably going to either end up in a real cell or in the ground. Regardless, this is a path I must walk." Loud and clear his heart temporarily thundered in his chest. "A place in the heavens? Hah! I've seen the 'heaven' of this world," Sneering he tightened his grip on the bars. "I promised I'd burn down that gold and silver-plated hell and every damn person in it. I'd rather fall down and burn in hell than lavish in that world. You speak of ruin as if you know me, but if you did then you'd know that sort of thing doesn't scare me. Ruin _is_ my end goal, ruin of the man who took everything from me, ruin for the society that shunned me and those like me, and ruin for all those who indulge in their depravity without a moment's hesitation or thought of others! Let my end come, but let it herald the demise of my enemies!"

It was as if all the air was sucked up within the strange blue-tinted room. The twin wardens stared in open-mouthed shock at the prisoner, then they each clenched their heads as if fighting a headache. Over by the guillotine Robin and Loki had ceased their slight shaking becoming unsettlingly still. Seconds ticked by until finally a reaction came. Both Personas spontaneously combusted into bright blue and black flames that swirled about like a twister. His head held up by his right hand and his face illuminated, Igor shot Goro a glare with all the intensity of spear. Rather it was disappointment or anger he couldn't tell, but whatever it was it wasn't enough to get Goro to back down. The flames broke free of the guillotines before bolting towards him. Snaking their way through the cell bars they took the form of two palm-sized lights atop his shoulders now illuminating his face.

"Lost One…is that…truly your answer?"

"It's not going to changing. If you want, you can tell Akira that." The teen declared.

For a few minutes Igor didn't say anything and neither did his twin assistants leaving Goro wondering where things were going to go now. Would he remain trapped int this strange limbo for not going along with this man's whims?

Someone finally broke the tension-twin buns. She was laughing.

"I'll say this, Inmate B, you've got guts. I like that." Twin-buns grinned stepping before his cell. Her smile was... almost kind. Rather than malice she was looking at him with what might have been…admiration. "You're in luck, Inmate B, helping unruly inmates like you is what we specialized at."

"Yes, helping…inmates." The other twin retorted. Looking at him Goro was taken back to find her face seemed…calmer, more easy-going than earlier. "As with our other guests, we shall be your collaborators, provided you are able to hold onto that…spark inside of you."

Looking back to the desk where Igor sat Goro awaited his response. Clearly he was the one in charge so his word was the final say in this Velvet Room.

"You'd take these two…and walk down that path? To the bitter end? To see your… 'justice' carried out?" The nicely-dressed man wasn't questioning him so much as he was pondering Goro's declaration. Loudly drumming his fingers along the desk, he lowered his head obscuring his large eyes from the assassin's view. "You'd charge down that path so recklessly, without a moment's care if it meant accomplishing your goal? Foolish, idiotic, meddlesome, but," When he looked up his grin was practically ear-to-ear. "You are the Lost One, perhaps there may be a light waiting for you at the end of this tunnel. Yes, perhaps for you, glory may lie beyond the horizon of ruin, but do you have the will to seize it?"

It seemed Goro's body handled the response this time. From his chest exploded a mystical blue light that caused Igor's almost daring smile to dampen. In contrast the twins stared at it as if they were watching fireworks bursting before their eyes. Goro himself wasn't sure what the light was or how it got inside of him, all he knew was that light was his power, his guiding beacon into a pitch-black darkness.

"Does that answer your question." For the first time he coolly challenged the supposed master of the Velvet Room.

"Yes…I suppose it does." He answered almost drily. "Justine, Caroline."

"R-Right," Sputtered twin-buns, now identified as Caroline. "I-It looks like you were holding out on us, Inmate B, you came here prepared."

"That light… it is…old, old yet so familiar." Justine muttered taking a step forward. Were it not for t the bars separating them she could have reached out and touched Goro, matter of fact, that's exactly what she tried to do. "Why…why does that light remind me of-"

"Justine!" Shouted Igor.

Withdrawing her hand in a manor that was all too familiar to Goro the braided twin looked almost ashamed of herself. "R-Right, I-I'm sorry." Regaining her composure, she stood up straight with a now exuding a professionalism that mirrored that of the seventeen-year-old's. "Inmate B, you shall be offered the same services as those offered to Inmate A. It is in your best interest to use them wisely."

The light emanating from his chest burned brighter and eventually left Goro's body in the form of multiple blue orbs of light. Peering into each of them he could see obscured shapes with tarot cards hanging over their heads. Out of caution he looked back to find the two azure flames were still hovering above his shoulders. Breathing a mental sigh of relief, he looked to the strange trio that had forced him to look deep inside of himself. "Alright, so since we've gotten some…formalities out of the way, explain to me how this place is going to be useful to me."

* * *

 _ **November 17**_ _ **th**_ _ **, Mid-Morning…**_

For the first time in what felt like weeks he awoke to morning rays and didn't feel immediate discomfort. This time he awoke in a nice comfy bed instead of hard concrete, and by God did it feel good. Sitting upright he rubbed his eyelids trying to focus his blurry vision. As he did so a glittering blue stream came across his line of sight.

"Still hanging around me, huh?" He asked visibly grouchy to the perched blue butterfly. Why couldn't insects have facial impressions big enough to see? The mental picture of him asking a bug for answers kept him from actually doing so. From its spot on the window the butterfly didn't seem to care too much for his irritable mood, not that he would have seen it. Curious he reached towards it half-expecting the blue insect to fly away, yet it did not. Goro began to ponder what would it feel like to touch the sparkling insect as his fingers drew closer and closer to it. Alas, something set the insect off causing it to fly away into the morning air. The teenage assassin knew it to be a hint and immediately turned to the door.

"So…you're up." Shuya's voice was as flat and toneless as it was the day before. He was dressed in a school uniform and his face cleaned up. In spite of that, something told Goro the young boy had little intention of actual going, perhaps he planned on staying home and pestering Goro. "How'd you sleep?"

"Better than I have in the last few days." Goro replied. "Has your sister already left for school?"

"Almost an hour ago." Without waiting for so much as an invitation he marched in and sat at the edge of the Goro's bed, his DS pulled out and powered up. "She made you breakfast for when you woke up though it's probably started to get cold by now."

"And you?"

"Have you considered maybe I don't want to go to some crummy school, sit at home, and hangout with the Great Prince…" Surprisingly the boy didn't buckle under the piercing glare that Goro shot him. If anything, it almost seemed like Shuya was used to being glare at. "Why don't you like that title? Do you hate it? You never show it in public when you're on TV, then again, there are a lot of things you probably don't show to the world."

"You're awfully nosy for a grade-schooler." The brown-haired teen snapped.

"This coming from the guy broke several major cases including ones that had the Tokyo police stumped." Came his cool response.

Goro had to give Shuya some credit, he was good. "Is there someone bullying you at school or do you just hate going?"

"You're the detective, can't you figure it out?"

It was hard to tell if the boy was usually like this or if Goro had done something to unintentionally offend him. Natsuo did say he was the one who found him and checked to make sure he was still alive. Maybe the kid was just a blooming tsundere. _Tsundere? Dear lord, I hung around Futaba and Yusuke way too long! I'm starting to think like them!_

 _ **You're speaking as if that's a bad thing. Of all the little rascals, you gotta admit, those two are the most entertaining.**_

 _ **That aside, doesn't it take one to know one?**_

It was a miracle he kept his reaction to the two voices minimal, if he didn't he probably would have scared Shuya off the bed. _Loki! Robin! You're….you're both…_ He was…happy, yes, happy, that was the word for it. His memories of the Velvet Room were somewhat blurry but the he clearly remembered the highlights such as Igor, Caroline, and Justine. His Personas had come within a hair's breath of leaving him, but Goro refused and summoned them back to his side. When he awoke a small part of him feared his act of defiance truly had deprived him of his only two companions. He was so glad to find that wasn't the case.

 _ **We…we owe you a great debt for what you did for us.**_ Came Robin's booming and gentle voice. Gore knew if he sacrificed his archer he'd forever lose that steady and ever-calm voice of reason, perhaps the only one in his life.

 _ **Standing up to ole' long-nose like that, takes balls. Ah, I knew you were a golden egg!**_ Exclaimed Loki throwing an imaginary arm around the teen's neck. He welcomed it.

 _You both…remember that place? Have you been there before?_ Goro questioned.

 _ **All Personas know of the Velvet Room.**_ Answered Robin Hood. _**As we are spiritual entities its is something of a nexus for us. A nexus…and an executioner's ground as you can imagine.**_

 _ **Still, while I never really liked that place even I don't remember the guillotine or cells, geez, I liked it better when it was a literal room, or even a night club with thumping music.**_ Cried the Norse god. _**Goro, you should have seen it when ole' long-nose had a pianist and singer, oh that place was absolutely the best. So calm, so blissful, but, well, it's really your and Akira's fault we can't have that.**_

And just like that he knew Loki was well and truly back. _My fault and Akira's? How is it our fault?_

 _ **Goro, the Velvet Room is a place that exists between dream and reality, it appears different to everyone. What Loki means is-**_

 _ **What I mean, is it reflects the mental state of whatever poor bastard has to pay long-nose a visit.**_ Loki asnwered playing with one of his waist-length braids. His near invisible-mouth opened in a slight hiss giving Goro a sideways view of the red-tinted teeth that adorned his maw. _**The fact that its looking like Shawshank means something…**_ Facing him the teenager shivered noting how his Persona's voice and face were seemingly devoid of any humor. _**Something is VERY wrong.**_

Alright, on that Goro actually agreed. Being in that strange prison-like dimension…he didn't like it one bit. Maybe it was because it represented a fact that Goro had been trying to escape his whole life, but something about that place unsettled him. More than anything the man sitting behind the desk, Igor, something about him simply made Goro's hair stand on edge. _Inmate B…Lost One._ Those were the things he was called, neither of them were flattering titles, but they gave Goro an insight into what was going on. Coupled with Justine's muttering it all pointed to one fact-he was unexpected, he wasn't supposed to have found his way into the dimension. _Someone's playing a game, and I'm the wild card that everyone wants to get a hold of._ The thought actually would have been uplifting if it wasn't putting his life in escalating danger.

If not for the sudden shiver he was somewhat used to Goro never would have noticed Shuya staring at him. Glancing upward he found his eyes meeting the boy's dark green orbs. It was impossible for him to read what was running through the child's mind before he opened his mouth.

"You should stay in bed."

"Excuse me?"

"You're thinking about something, something bad, aren't you? This place is probably the safest place for you to be." He explained.

It as advice, helpful advice. Alas, Goro knew as much as he wanted to take it he had things he needed to do. "Appealing as that is, I can't. There are things I have to do, and seating in bed all day isn't going to do anything about the problems I'm facing." Throwing off the covers he swung his feet across the edge of the bed. "Nothing good comes from sitting around in bed complaining, my mother taught me that."

"Spoken like a true man, then hurry up and get something in her stomach." Shouted a male voice Goro instantly recognized. Stepping into the doorway Jo gave a short glance in the direction of his young nephew. "Shuya,"

"Can't I work with you at the bar?" Whined the auburn-haired boy.

 _Bar?_ Goro thought raising an eyebrow.

"No, now get your little butt out of here, and remember to stay out of trouble."

"Alright, alright," Shuya finally relented hoping off the bed. "Just make sure you don't scare off our house guest."

"I'm right here, ya' know." Goro snapped.

"And?" He was already in the hallway and presumable out of earshot range.

"Is everyone in this family a smartass?" The teenage inquired looking to the apparent man of the house.

"Family trait, think you'd rather take your chances out in the wild?"

"No," he answered getting to his feet. Jo looked ready to intervene but Goro held up his hand stopping him. For a split second the world spun before gradually becoming steady and finally still. "I…I'm good. Just need to take some time to get back on my feet."

"That's good because you're going to be doing a lot of moving today."

He would have asked what exactly he was getting at the but the vocal growl of his stomach prevented him from saying anything. Eating came first.

Goro didn't mind that pancakes had been prepared for him, matter of fact, a part of him was actually grateful for it. Just like the night before he practically wolfed down anything he could stab his fork or knife into. He didn't stop until he felt he was half-way full, placing his fork and knife down. Throughout the whole time the teen kept shooting periodic glances in the direction of Jo, who'd remained seat on the couch watching the morning news. Shuya had mentioned something about a bar so Goro could only assume that was where he worked.

"Don't skip out on anything, eat up, if there's something else you want just let me know." He spoke briefly swinging his eyes Goro's way.

Admittedly, the teenage assassin flinched. Learning to read people by the eyes had almost become second nature to him, it had to be if he expected to survive. Jo's eyes were clear and hard leaving Goro with nowhere to go. In his caramel-colored eyes Goro saw a seasoned firmness that reminded him of Mitsumoto; like the Superintendent General this man was a veteran of hard times. Scrapping together everything he'd heard from the night before and over the last half-hour his mind pulled all the pieces together into he was staring at a grim picture.

 _I'm alone with an ex-yakuza, great. I mean, it's not like my life could get any worse._ The teen mental grumbled while swallowing another lump of pancakes and eggs.

 _ **On the bright side, at least this one isn't attempting to injure you.**_ Robin chimed in. _**He's been good to you so far, no need to squander his kindness.**_

 _Until he gives me a reason to._ Thought the brown-haired youth with bitterness. "Based on what you said to Shuya," he began rolling his shoulders. "I'm assuming you…want me to help out somewhere?"

"If you're up to it? If you want to spend the rest of the day sulking in bed I can understand."

"I wasn't sulking." He immediately shot back feeling slighted.

"Then please, tell me what you planned on doing all day until someone came home? Search the place for your gun, money, then hightail it out of here?" Jo beckoned raising an eyebrow.

"If you thought I was going to do that then you would have tied my arms and legs up to keep me from even moving." Reasoned the high-schooler.

"The fact I haven't should give you a counter to that."

It did, this man was definitely smarter than he looked. Beating around the bush wasn't going to do any good. "Good point, what do you want me to do for you?"

"Just help out at my job. I co-own a bar a few blocks away with an old friend. During the day when I come in and do cleanup on the place so it's ready to go by the time evening rolls around." He answered sitting up showing his full imposing stature.

"What kind of bar is this?"

Jo chuckled at the inquiry tone of the boy's voice. "Relax, I've got a few disguises that'll help so no one will recognize you. You step out of this apartment and into broad daylight your head will be on a pike before midnight."

"How kind of you to take that into consideration. Just let me finish eating."

Said time was less than ten minutes. With the dishes and cooking utensils thrown into the sink to be cleaned at a later date Goro began the process of getting himself ready for a day at work. Truth be told, he was actually looking forward to it. He hated being idle, especially with so much swirling about in his head. Atop of washing his face and brushing his teeth he took another quick shower, if only for his mental state rather than his hygiene. When he came out he wrapped in a towel he found Jo had laid out clothes atop his bed in the guest room. Jeans, a long-sleeve shirt, socks, and a pair of shoes, all of which he'd guessed actually fit.

Jo must have been hanging in the hallway listening in, waiting for him to finish. Once he was he stepped in, a cardboard box held tightly under one arm. "Here's your disguise." He said presenting it to the just dressed teenager.

Setting it down on the bed Goro opened the lead finding a collection of wigs and makeup inside. Narrowing his eyes, he realized he now had further evidence that this man was ex-yakuza. "Any prefaces?"

"It's your face, I'll be waiting at the door."

Reaching into the box he held up a well-crafted black wig that would snuggly fit over his head. Though he'd been given a shower, decent food, and a bed he still had to hide himself. It was laughable how little things had changed in some ways while in others they were unrecognizable. Tossing back the black hair piece the looked through the lot for a red one and upon finding it tucked his natural brown hair beneath it. As uncomfortable as it was Goro could bare it for a day or so.

"I'll see how long this mask lasts."

The time came when he finally left the room and descended the stairs to the apartment's back doorway, no doubt the same one he'd been carried through. Through a ginger-colored wig his brown hair lay in a brushed up heap where it would remain perhaps until late into the night, or until he got a break. Masking his blood-colored eyes were contact leans he'd oh-so carefully inserted over his eyes rendering them a dark blue. Jo said nothing tossing him a coat he quickly zipped up. The door flew open leading to a set of stairs he followed down into an alley way. They followed it to the end where they came out into a bustling street corner.

"How do you feel? Any of your wounds acting up?" Jo asked looking back at him.

Goro tested his left leg finding only a dull throbbing where his leg had been bandaged. Whatever medicine they'd given him had done a good job in healing the injury. Running a hand over his chest where he'd felt thousands of volts of electricity race through his body Goro repressed a shudder. "Just no electronics, I've had enough of playing with wires and cables if you know what I mean."

* * *

It was a cruel lesson that no matter who you were or what your social status was life went on, with or without you. That harsh albeit needed lesson had been hammered into Goro ever since that day over ten years ago, and for a time he thought he could escape it until he was forced to realize otherwise. Days like this was one of the times that life ruler slammed into him with all the force of a freight train.

People were on their way to work just like Jo, kids were on their way to school or probably already sitting in class like sitting in class like Natsuo and Shuya. Hundreds of people, hundreds of faces, and he was just another drop in the endless river. Curiously he shot sideways glances at every other person he passed. Who were these people? Surely they had Shadows in the Metaverse, some of them might even have had Palaces. For he knew like him these people were wearing false faces until they got where they needed to go, but even then there was no guarantee the mask would come off. Numerous times he looked to his dark-haired patron noting not once did his expression change.

What kind of face was Jo hiding beneath the mask of the silent mysterious uncle? For better or for worse Goro knew he was about to find out.

As they walked he began to get a solid idea of what part of Shinjuku they were in. It with without saying he'd been forced to make a few trips into Kabukicho, by day and night. Doubtlessly the red light district was at its most dangerous well into the night, where Tokyo's seedier and nastier residents were out and about, not on a semi-sunny morning like this where most people were attempting to muster up the strength needed to get through another workday. That was the driving reason why the streets were relatively empty compared to the booming organic river that came out at night. They were heading deeper and deeper into a nest of bars and nightclubs he was sure the police had performed stakeouts at, hell, he remembered being with them for one or two.

He said nothing when Jo lead him through an alleyway into a backdoor. His nose encountered a myriad of smells ranging from alcohol to thick male-oriented colon giving him an immediate idea of what this place was. Silently he followed Jo down the lit hallway and through a series of turns to the main room-a bar.

"Thanks for not being so damn squeamish." Jo finally said stepping into the light.

As far as bars went…the place Jo co-owned and apparently worked at was pretty snazzy, and Goro could say that despite never having been in many bars due to his age. It was spacious, almost half as big as a school gymnasium with dozens of square and oval-shaped tables. To his far left lay a giant black marble wall covered with various old-style paintings depicting fish, mountains, and castles straight from the feudal area. Evenly spaced out along the floor were several wooden pillars with black marble collars fasten around them supporting a low-hanging ceiling. Glancing directly ahead of him he saw a row of wall seats, each individual table shaped like an egg due to the oval-like tables. Separating each was paper and wooden screens he had to guess could be pulled back and lowered at request.

Glancing to his immediate right he was greeted to the sight of a sable-colored bar counter that stretched onward before making a sharp turn to the right. Working the counter were various middle-aged men and women. The closest one turned to Goro to eye him from head to toe.

By his estimates he was in his late fifties, perhaps early sixties with fading black hair and well-cut beard now turning ghostly white and a wrinkled face. In spite of those things his eyes carried an acute sharpness Goro recognized as still having an edge.

"Either this kid's older than he looks or you're breaking the rules again, Jo." He finally said.

"Hey, it's not the first time and it sure as hell ain't gonna be the last." The ex-yakuza shrugged shooting Goro a sideways glance. "This kid here is Souta, Souta Hashigami, his mother's an old associate of mine who I promised to look after for a little bit. Souta, this gentleman here is Shibata, the man who'll poison you if you exceed your sass limit for the day."

Rather or not that was a joke or not Goro didn't want to find out, instead he got into character and gave the man a sharp bow. "H-Hello, I-I promise I won't cause any trouble."

The old man let his gaze lingered for a minute too long on Goro before he too shrugged. Apparently having a random teenager helping out around the place wasn't too big a concern to him. That, or Jo's presence carried a lot more weight in this place than Goro had first thought, whichever it was, he made a mental note not to piss off either men.

"Welcome to Cloud Eight then, just follow Jo's lead and keep your heads to yourself. Oh, and don't let me catch you trying to swipe any of the booze."

He didn't have to worry about that. Taking one glance at the array of drinks on displays Goro felt a strange mixture of nausea and nostalgia. What his mother wouldn't give for a sip of half the bottles in arm's length of him. That thought alone was enough to keep him from so much as even glancing at the colored displays, as well as giving him the fire he needed to march through what he knew was going to be a day of honest work.

Jo had a private office with a locker he was kind enough to loan Goro. He didn't dwell too hard on what was in the office or the decorations His coat went into the closest and a customized apron was tied around his waist. Marching out the door he threw himself into the maintenance work Jo had spoken off with silent vigor. He was told to pick up trash and wash tables that's exactly what he did, never once speaking a word expect whenever he found himself in need of guidance. Beer stains and food stains, these weren't anything new to him. Whenever he left a table he shot a stray glance backwards to find one of the other workers expecting it. Some of them dared to look Goro in the eye, a handful of them either silent communicated their approval or verbalized it. He didn't want to say it or show it but that praise, small as it was felt…good.

Almost two hours in he was called back into the kitchen, he raised no fuss and did as asked of him. Goro was careful in handling the dishes making sure he didn't drop anything, the last thing he wanted was to have to play for kitchenware with money he obviously didn't have.

So engrossed in his work he didn't realize Jo had joined him into he turned to his left to place another plate on a nearby rack. "You're pretty good at this."

"Practice." Was his near cold answer.

"Hm-hm, the great Prince Detective, from what I hear you live by yourself so it's only natural you're self-sufficient."

"If I wasn't I never would have made it this far. I'm assuming you know something about that."

At the least Jo didn't seem to mind his subtle jab too much, not to mention Goro managed to contain his emotions while thinking back to those memories.

 _Heh, what exactly would you think of me? Cutting school to hang around here, helping clean a stupid bar that's probably nothing but a giant haven for yakuza and thugs? Would you even care?_ Unknowingly Goro's teeth began to gnash at the accursed memories he'd attempted to seal away in the back of his mind. The lock that had been holding them had begun to come undone allowing those childhood dramas to return to him. Those days coming home to find her passed out drunk on the couch, or if he was lucky, in bed. In the span of a few weeks he'd learned how many different flavors of alcohol there were…and he'd come to hate every one of them. This was the kind of place she'd frequent, ordering drink after drink until she was finally kicked out or by some string of luck someone decided to drag her home. He'd fought so hard to escape that life and here he was, sitting in the same place. Was this how his life was going to be?

His reflection stared back at him, mocking him nearly making Goro vocalize his anger before he saw and felt a massive hand wrap itself around his wrist. Sucking in his breath he turned to find Jo standing over him. He wasn't angry, far from it actually. His brown eyes held a crystalline light that glittered with sympathy. With his anger captivated by that light Goro took the chance to regain control of his feelings as evident by the growingly somber look on his face.

"So…Sorry," He muttered under his breath.

"Don't worry about it. Doing this is stirring up bad memories for you, isn't it?"

"You're talking as if you know what I'm going through."

"Maybe I do, remember, you're the city golden boy, I'm a nameless nobody."

"Respectfully, I'm beginning to think that's a load of crap."

For the first time he heard Jo laugh. It was actually a rather pleasant sound and it didn't completely put Goro's fried nerves on edge. "Really, then it seems you're not all for show. Perhaps I'm not who I say I am, as I've discovered you're not exactly who you're supposed to be either." Slapping him on the back he turned to one of his co-workers. "Souta and I are going to take our lunch break. Go find a table up front and I'll be right out."

Given the fact he actually needed some time to clear his head Goro was a little grateful for the break. Shifting his eyes to a wall-mounted clock he was actually a little surprised to find almost three hours had passed since his arrival. Briefly he laughed at the similarities to being in the police station where getting so involved in case work and reports caused time to fly by at near light-speed.

Outside of the kitchen he found a handful of others had decided to take their lunch break as well. Sitting at tables either alone or in groups, talking with each other, chatting it up like it was just another ordinary day.

 _ **Ya gotta admit, compared to where you could be, this isn't so bad. Enjoy yourself a little.**_ Came Loki's voice.

Oddly enough, Goro took stock in his second Persona's voice. _You're…you're right. You're right._ He mentally whispered allowing a ghost of a smile to grace his face. "What I wouldn't' give something relaxing like a back rub right about now. That'd definitely-"

" _My election will herald a new age for the country, an age where we will reclaim our lost glory and honor, as well as rid ourselves of the evils plaguing it. Evils such as the Phantom Thieves, who I may add, continue their unrepentant crime spray."_

And just like that all the clam went out the window. Goro's eyes dilated hearing that wretched voice and immediately craned his head to find the source. Of the three TVs situated behind the counter two were turned to the news, and of course another interview was being given to the man widely expected to become the next Prime Minister of Japan.

That was unless Goro had anything to say about it.

* * *

 **There you have it, Goro's first stay in the Velvet Room and his encounter with the Velvet Trio. I tried to frame it as him not being too particularly stunned and more on guard given everything he's been through the last couple of hours. Speaking of which, next chapter we'll see how he reacts to seeing his dear ole' dad on TV at his new day job.**

 **I chose a bar for a specific reason and Jo's former occupation is going to play a** _ **very**_ **important role in how Goro's character developments. Unlike cafes that are typically upscale and pleasant bars invoke a much more seedier and grim image, especially once you add crime into the mix. This is all meant to tie into the "fallen" theme that Goro's story is going to revolve around. Next chapter will elaborate on that and swing the pendulum back over to the Phantoms, or more accurately, Akira.**


	11. Chapter 10-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt3

**I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 10-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt.3**

To the thousands or so watching the broadcast every word Shido said sounded like pure logic delivered from the voice of a scholar. To Goro, it was nothing but a pathetic string of lies after lies met to placate legions of hungry worshippers. What truly disgusted him was the fact he couldn't even ask for the channel to be changed without making a scene. He knew his voice couldn't be trusted, especially with the earlier incident of the kitchen still fresh in his mind.

" _Since the end of the Second World War we've struggled to right ourselves and become the upstanding and economic and socially superpower we always believed ourselves to be. Regretfully, in pursuit of that goal we have stumbled several times. Some argue these stumbles were unavoidable, but I believe otherwise, mistakes are only made when one is not cautious and careful. As a nation we have been neither for too long and that has resulted in our country faltering."_

Normally there would have been push back against such a question, a call for specifics for even a counter argument. While Goro may not have cared much for things like national prosperity even or advancement he knew trial and error was a part of being a nation. To walk a clear and perfect path was beyond Japan's ability, beyond any nation's ability. But of course, Shido, believed with him at the helm such a thing could be achieved. Yes, with him leading it would be a golden age.

" _Up until now we've seen many arise and attempt to breed order from the chaotic maelstrom that had enveloped the country. Some were more successful than others, but their time came and someone new, possibly less experienced would come in and dismantle all the hard work set by his or her predecessors. I for one, will not be such a person."_

" _With all due respect, Shido-san, you're making some pretty big assumptions. Like for starters you'll even win the election."_ It wasn't a challenge, more like a joke that may have come off as funny to some, but for Goro, it made his stomach twist into knots.

Shido, of course, took the bait and smiled. A smile so impossibly fake in the young assassin's eyes he wanted to scream in rage at others for falling for it. _"I'm simply trying to be optimistic. While I consider myself a realist, optimism never hurts. That said, when you let such a thing overtake your rationale you end up causing more trouble than you try to solve. Sadly, I would point to the Phantom Thieves as the most recent example of this."_

The young detective could almost hear Ryuji shouting beside him in outrage. Goro wholeheartedly would have agreed with him.

" _When they first appeared, I know everyone thought they were a beacon of hope and renewal, but I knew better than that. In time they showed us their true colors, and how ugly they were. It began with Mr. Okumura, and continued onward with the city's rising star, Goro Akechi. A young man who truly dedicated his life to cleaning up the city of Tokyo, until his path brought him too close to this band of murders and cutthroats who chose to silence him. It is rebel groups like that which I fear overtaking this country, groups like that violently seizing power and following their own brand of 'justice' and letting it drive them to steal, murder, and disrupt the society we've worked so hard to build._

" _I'm well aware how hard a blow it was to the thousands or so who so eagerly placed their faith in the Phantom Thieves, but I am here to tell you while that faith may have been misplaced, it was not mistake. It can be delivered upon, and I see myself as the man who can and will do so. That is, if the people of Japan will trust me enough to elect me."_

" _Well, according to recent polls that trust has already been given. Tell me, what are your thoughts regarding the possible attempted assassination of Goro Akechi?"_

" _First off, it was a targeted event, that I believe with every ounce of my being."_ Truer words had never left the bald-headed man's lips, and probably never would again. _"I believe young Goro Akechi was close to unveiling the identities of the Phantom Thieves, and when he got too close the Thieves decided to end his life. A bright young man such as him with a future ahead of him, and what's worse is his murders remain at large. It breaks my heart we live in such a world, but if elected I will do my absolute hardest to change that. No one is above the law, and certainly not this band of supposed do-gooders who believe they are judge, jury, and executioner."_

His vision was growing redder with every word, every lie. How he managed to keep himself from losing control was a mystery he'd have to ponder later, but he had to keep the controls steady least he lash out in public, in a place where his survival was entirely dependent on the goodwill of others. Deep down, he didn't know what disgusted him more-the fact that the thousands watching this broadcast hung onto every word or that Goro had helped push things along to this stage. He'd always looked at the interviews Shido had done with disgust and well-hidden contempt, but this time those feelings were roaring to get out. He'd thought he could stomach it until after the election when he could finally reveal Shido's true colors to the world, but things had taken a truly expected turn.

Here he was, standing in a bar populated by ex-criminals and the like, his accumulated evidence a pile of ashes, and if any of it remained now locked away safely in a police vault. Or perhaps it too had been destroyed. Knowing Mitsumoto, it was more than likely the latter meaning he literally had nothing to work with. He'd played the game and Shido had outfoxed.

A scream of pure rage was beginning to build in his throat and would have exploded outwards had Goro not felt a hand on his shoulder. Like a dam materializing into reality the stream of anguish came to a halt leaving a slowly forming lake of tranquility in its wake. He didn't need to think hard about whose hand was on his shoulder, the man seemed to have some sort of innate sense of when Goro was in danger of tumbling off the edge. All of it just added more to the mystery of who Jō Shinoda was.

"Ready to eat?"

"…I am now."

The last time he'd eaten a cheeseburger he'd been in a rush, eyes looking in every direction for fear of a spy finding him or being recognized. This time he had neither of those things to worry about allowing him to slowly and surely savior every bite. It felt like a lifetime had passed since he was able to do such a thing. With every bite the tension that had once been spreading across his body began to dissipate like mist under the sun. Being sentimental, Goro found it hard to remember the last time he'd ever felt this…safe, no, relieved.

"So, I take it Shido's not going to be getting your vote?" Jō inquired wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"What gave it away?"

"Oh, a lot of things. For the record you're not alone. Almost every one here at Cloud Eight has decided to vote for someone else."

That came as a surprise to him. He'd seen the poll numbers, while Shido's pull with Japan's youth was debatable he was getting extremely high marks from the seniors and elderly of the country. It didn't take a lot of brainpower, for him at least, to figure out why. "That's…a little surprising. Last I heard your age range is just what he's aiming for."

"That's actually part of the problem. My generation, well, our end is in sight, you guys on the other hand, are the ones Shido should be talking to. I've noticed in most of his interviews he's always talking about the older generation, doing his best to assure my age-rage our problems will be taken care of and the world will continue on as we know it."

"For most people that'd be enough." Goro offered.

"I'm not most people." He countered looking him in the eye. "My generation's time has come and gone _you_ guys on the other hand have a whole lifetime ahead of you. Anyone choosing to run for public office should be keeping that in mind." A smirk played on the ex-criminal's lip. "What about you, do you have any plans for the future?"

Mentally, Goro flinched. _The future,_ for the longest time he'd scorned the very concept because his future was set in stone and nothing was going to change that. When he was young, young and naive he had bright dreams of what his future would be, then reality came in and hit him hard. "I'm not going back into law enforcement, I can tell you that much."

"I take it your opinion of the police and law has been soured?"

"It was soured long before someone tried to blow me sky-high." Came the teen's cool response. "I've set behind the desk, seen things most kids my age would rather not have seen. Let's just say I've seen enough of that life for a while."

"And if by some twist of fate, you find yourself walking that path again?"

He'd seen and been in enough police interrogations to know when he was being questioned. The thing about Jō was he wasn't even trying to hide it, after all, why should he? He held all the cards, but that didn't mean Goro couldn't make a few moves of his own. "I've been thrown curveballs before, and I've adapted. I'll take it as it comes."

Seemingly approving of his answer, he raised his glass. "A little luck never hurts though, does it?"

Even though he tried not to, Goro felt his lips curve upwards into a smile. A small smile, but a smile none the less. They toasted and continued on with their lunch, the world around them fading into a serene ocean in which they were merely two fish passing along the currents.

* * *

 _ **Shujin Academy, Mid-Morning…**_

Akira wasn't sure which he preferred-nightmares or pure darkness. With nightmares he saw all his past failures and possible failures play out before his eyes like an endless video. Darkness gave him nothing but time to think and contemplate and that was almost just as bad. This time he got darkness, an endless black abyss in which he wondered about with his hands in his pockets with only one question on his mind-did he make the right decision?

Arsene wasn't there nor were any of his teammates or associates. After a point he began wishing for some manifestation of his fellow Wild Card to appear and berate him. Scream at him, blame him for what the string of events that had followed the Casino heist. Akira didn't think he'd put up much argument with him. He was the one who reached out when they'd already charted out a course of action. Goro hadn't been kidding about him being a monkey-wretch in everyone's plans; if anything, it seemed that was the one skill he had unprecedent talent at. Of course, this was the first time he'd seen the truly dark side of screwing up with well-laden plans. Not everyone liked having their plans screwed with.

The darkness was broken by a soft and gentle breeze, like a spring wind that pushed away the blackness. Color slowly crawled into his vision. "Huh?"

"Lunch break, come on, I think it's a safe bet to say that you need it."

Smiling the black-haired teenager rose his head from his desk, wiping his eyes then stretching his arms upwards. "Thank you, Ms. Kawakami."

"Here am, letting a student sleep through class. Geez, some things never change, do they?"

"Hey, I'm your favorite student, you're always cutting me some slack." In one glance he saw they were the last ones left in the classroom so they could talk freely. Odds were just a few paces down the hall either Makoto or Ryuji were waiting for him so he could meet up with the others. He didn't want to keep them waiting. "Thank you for the rest."

"It looked like you needed it, actually, I already knew you needed it after…" The teacher looked away to the window where outside a blanket of gray clouds had rolled over the sky obscuring the sun. With a buttload of free time finally on her hands she'd been able to do a lot of things she wasn't able to before. Like watch the news. Normally, her reaction to the bombing of Goro Akechi's apartment would have been like everyone else's-shock and horror. However, she knew there was far more to it than that given the fact one of her students was a member of the Phantom Thieves. Since that day she'd watched as Akira and the others walked the halls with barely veiled concern and worry. Putting two and two together hadn't been hard. "Any leads?"

"So far, nothing, would it be alright if I called you in for a back rub?"

"Hey, you're the one who told me everyone needed a moment or two od de-stressing. Consider it me continuing to return the favor." She smiled placing a hand on his shoulder as he stood up. "Don't worry yourself rigid. Akechi's no pushover, I'm sure he's out there somewhere."

"I…thank you,"

At least he always had people to fall back on, a blessing he knew he never would have made it this far without. Those words of encouragement in his heart he headed up to the rooftop where he unsurprisingly found his teammates waiting for him. The increasingly overcast sky reflected the mood of the team too well.

"Nothing?"

Makoto spoke up first. "Nothing, we…I never thought we'd be in a situation like this."

"Trying to clear your name for murder or trying to find the guy who framed you for murder before he's killed?" No one could say the enigmatic Joker hadn't lost his sense of humor. Akira walked up to the chain-link fence that kept an unfortunate soul from going across the edge. Naturally, such a thing was only put into place after Shiho's public attempt at suicide, just one of the many reforms that had been made to the school since Kamoshida's confession and arrest. "No one's seen any news reports about Akechi's capture or…"

"No, he's still out there." As expected Ann's voice was resolute. She absolutely refused to believe if they couldn't find Akechi then Shido's men couldn't either. Deep down, she didn't want to even entertain the possibility. "You've got Mona out there searching, don't you?"

"So, you finally found a way for that cat to be useful? Why didn't we just do something like that before?" Ryuji grumbled.

"Because Morgana's a cat and not a bloodhound." Akira drily replied. The blue-eyed feline had loved exploring, but this was something entirely different. More than once Morgana had come home with a few "horror stories" regarding what he'd seen in the city. Some of the stories were laughable while others were simply flat out disturbing. He still remembered the night Futaba had presented him the tracker collar she'd whipped up using God knew what and attached it to Morgana before he sent off in search of their MIA teammate. "If Mona finds anything he and Futaba will report back to us, until then we'll just have to make do with our own."

"Yeah, cause that's going so well so far." The team's strongman grumbled until Ann lightly smacked him on the shoulder. "Hey! I mean, I know he's alive out there, it's just…why hasn't he tried calling us! Doesn't that idiot know we're worried about him! Looking for him!"

"I don't think he does."

Haru's quiet voice was the sledgehammer to the conversation no one had been expecting. Like everyone else she too had been doing her best to pick up any leads on Goro's whereabouts, but everyone could tell there was more to it than that. Akira and Makoto shared a look between each other before glancing at the brunette. They'd noticed the subtle changes in Haru ever since that night at the café where Goro had not only revealed his plan but his motivations as well. Needless to say, they'd all be left shaken by the words spoken, but Haru especially seemed to have been impacted. At first the two believed the sinister plot regarding her family had been what struck Haru at her core, and they could hardly blame her. Makoto had seen enough cases and such to know the Conspiracy's plan for Okumura would go off well, too well. She'd hugged Haru tightly when the girl privately when she confined into her, breaking down into tears. Akira, while his heart went out to his Empress, knew the reason ran far deeper than that.

Haru was arguably one of the kindest people he'd ever met, and her being accused of being heartless was about the worst accusation one could make.

Hell, the way Goro had looked at _all of them_ , like they were blood-thirsty wolves waiting for his wounds to get the better of him. It hadn't just offended them, it had hurt.

Haru stood facing the cityscape from beyond the rooftop, her gaze directed to someone far beyond her field of vision. "I know…Akechi's out there somewhere, but I…I don't think he wants to talk to us."

"That's stupid though, dammit, we're in this mess together! Sure, it's his fault but…gah! I hate it when that guy does this to me!" Snarled the dyed blond who slammed his fist against the wall. "Is it that hard to reach out and ask for help?"

"Yes."

Several sets of eyes looked to Akira. The glass-wearing teen stood tall and passively, yet his eyes held an icy calm that was somewhat off-setting to the others. Hands in his pockets, he joined Haru in looking out over the cityscape.

"You all remember the way he looked at us, and I'm pretty sure we all looked at him the same way. Akechi only trusts us as far as he can throw us. Even now he…" They'd played the game for so long Goro could almost perfectly re-create the rogue Persona-user's thought process, and it made him shudder. "Either we've moved on without him or we're only searching for him to keep him quiet. Not because we're worried about his safety." Bit by bit, he'd built up a patchwork of trust with his Confidants, it was tedious, but in time they'd all come to trust him making the effort worth it. Akira wasn't one to say it, but it felt good being able to put his faith in people and have them return the favor. Maybe he was trying to reclaim some shred of innocence lost from that night.

Maybe that was why Goro's rant to them had cut him as deeply as it had Haru. He was the woman who betrayed the given trust.

"I just…I still can't forgive him for what he did to my father, but I…I don't want him to keep looking at me expecting me to plunge a knife into his back. I'm not that kind of person. I don't want to be." Whispered the ax-user keeping her hands pressed against her chest. The type of person who'd do that was the type her father would have approved of. No matter what, Haru didn't want to become that person, she'd never allow herself to. "I still worried about him because I know Shido won't rest until Akechi is either captured or…"

"If what he said about Shido is true then I don't think Shido will kill him. Not the way we're all thinking he will."

"Akira, that's not very comforting to hear." Makoto groaned rubbing her temples. Police corruption on TV was one thing, but having it happen in real-life with lives hanging in the balance was overwhelmingly worse. She'd seen the impact of Goro's revelations on Sae, though she suspected deep down inside her sister always knew it was there. "We can only hope that at some point Akechi will contact us and we'll get to him first."

"Or we find him before then." Ryuji spoke. He didn't fancy the idea of waiting until the Wild Card chose to contact them. Perhaps it was pride or true worry, either way he didn't want to be on the receiving end of whatever was coming. "I'd help though if we knew what kind of places Akechi liked to hang around at."

"That's sort of a moot point, if we know then Shido probably knows, and if Akechi was at any of those places we'd know by now." Ann countered. "We're just going to have to keep scouring every place we can. I've got a photo shoot tomorrow so I'll do my best this afternoon. I'm going to search Shinagawa."

"I'll go with you." Haru said.

"Are you sure, I mean, I know you've got your own problems to deal with."

Looking at them, the brunette showed the amassed group the resolve slowly building in her eyes. "You're right, but _this_ is what's important to me. What's before me is what I need to focus on because that's what matters."

Still keeping his head turned away Akira smiled. For all the things that had gone array and off track he could at least take solace in the fact he'd done a few things right. The four close friends assembled, the teacher who'd he helped regain her sense of self, the young artist a few blocks away, the hacker hacking the secure networks, and of course, the back-alley doctor who he'd help remind of why she took up medicine. Those were the small victories we could take solace in.

He'd beat the odds before and done the impossible. If he could do that, then maybe he could do it again, maybe Goro could do the same.

 _Holding onto hope like this, either I've gotten way to sentimental or maybe my lucky streak hasn't ended yet._ Mused the dark-haired youth.

 _ **Time will tell, my young friend. You managed to make it this far on sheer willpower, Goro made it this far on willpower and hated. You both looked despondent at one point, but surely neither of you gave up.**_ Arsene spoke up appearing behind Akira, his flaming smile contrasting to Akira's half-frown. _**No man worth his salt, regardless of their moral alignment, gives up until the swan song is sung. You are worth your mettle, and I believe so too is Goro Akechi.**_

Reaching out he placed a hand on Haru's shoulder. "Have you thought of what you're gonna say to him?"

"N-No, I…I…really don't know what I can say. You all know I'm not the best when it comes to social interaction." Spoke the company heiress.

"You've done pretty well with us so far," Ann giggled.

"Along with that, if there's anyone who can make peace with him, I'm pretty sure it's you." The Phantom Thieves' leader proclaimed turning the shoulder grip into a sideways hug causing the fluffy-haired girl to blush. "Slap him, hit him, then tell him you'll never abandon him like the others have. Sounds easy, huh?"

"If I didn't know any better I'd almost say you were trying to play matchmaker." Makoto half-groaned shaking her head, though her face held a smile to it. "If it helps, you're not alone in not knowing what to say."

Ann coughed once catching the group's attention. "Well…we could start with happy to see you." No one said anything as she elbowed Ryuji who shot her a cross look she gladly returned. "It's like you said, Akira, we're all in this together…for better or for worse."

Releasing Haru Akira looked upwards to where the sun was beginning to poke through the cloud layer. His parents had joked about marriage propels and when they were at the alter together and that part came up. In his youth he hadn't really understood what a commitment like that meant, but coming to Tokyo had changed all that. Now he had an idea and he didn't plan on recanting on any of those commitments.

Not a single one no matter how painful it was.

* * *

 _ **November 17**_ _ **th**_ _ **, Shinjuku, late evening…**_

Working the rest of the day had been something of an eye-opening experience for Goro. It was quite a change compared to working in a police department. As much he hated to say it he felt…almost…safe working alongside the shady looking men and women that kept Cloud Eight afloat. After seeing him and Jō sit down together several had decided he was worth a direct talk. Their judgement of him was swift and direct, seeing him as a valuable workmate and going from there. Seemingly no one bated an eye at his age, even when increasingly shadier people began to flock to the bar into the evening hours. At that Goro began to feel a bit worried. What if he was recognized? What if he spotted one of Shido's flunkies?

Of course, none of it went unnoticed by his bearded patron. Several times Jō placed a hand on his shoulder to let him know he was still there and that he was safe. Goro felt embarrassed at the fact this still unknown stranger had to shelter him like he was a wounded animal. Then again, given his circumstances, he still was. All that said, the older man's constant presence did wonders in keeping his blooming paranoia in check.

At least until a young child decided to take advantage of it.

"Still pretty stressed out, aren't you?"

Outwardly, his eyes merely widened, internally, his heart practically tackled his chest cavity in shock. Said shock eventually carried itself into the rest of his body causing him to spin on his heel with ingrained reflex. His fingers flexed and ready themselves as they did in battle

Shuya stood atop the table, his legs kicking with a bored expression on his face. "Hiya?"

"How do you keep doing that?" The teenage detective nearly screamed. Bad move.

"Ohhh, I see the kid's meet the other kid."

"And apparently he's still not used to Shuya's disappearing act."

"Hey, give Souta some pointers, at least he didn't break anything."

Listening to the chatter Goro realized this wasn't the first time this had happened. Also, maybe Shuya was the reason the workers were so okay with having a high-schooler working alongside them. Then again, looking Shuya over Goro doubted Jō would let his nephew work in a place like this. Groaning, he composed himself while the man himself walked over, a look of slight annoyance building on his face.

"Either I lost track of time or you're cutting school again."

"I finished all my work so they let me out early."

Goro watched two family members exchanged looks, noting something to be amiss. Jō was concerned about something and Shuya was hiding something. _Great, I just had to wrap myself up in another family drama, as if my own wasn't bad enough._ The logical thing to do was not to get involved, but he couldn't do that. Like it or not he was already involved with this family.

"Souta, your shift's over so could you take Shuya back home and wait until Natsuo gets home? I'll be working a bit of a late shift so I'll leave it up to them to prepare dinner for you three."

"Can I expect food poisoning?"

"I'll make sure to tell Natsuo you said that."

"Just don't try anything with my niece, alright?" Of course, that had to be worked in their somewhere.

"Come on, I'm sure Detective Akechi here as seen and been with plenty of older and more attractive women than Natsuo."

 _So this is what having a younger sibling is like._ Groaned the brown-haired teen already dreading an evening alone with the Hashioka siblings. Something told him traversing Mementos was going to become preferable. _What's worse is I was just beginning to like this place._

At the very least Shuya waited until he had finished dressing himself and they were past the door before they began walking.

"You don't plan on stopping me and dragging me home like Uncle Jō told you to?" The green-eyed boy inquired taking the lead.

"I could, but that's a fight I don't have the strength for. Plus, maybe I want to go out and do a little sight-seeing myself."

"Sure, you can do it without looking at every other person like they're about to shoot you?" The two males stopped dead in their tracks to look each other. Goro's blood-red eyes peered into his dark green orbs. Despite the age difference and world of experience between them Shuya did not back down under the older boy's glare. If anything, the more Goro looked into the twelve-year-old's eyes the more unsettled he became. The first time he awoke in the Hashiokas' home he found those green eyes staring at him, examining him like a lab specimen. It was equal parts disturbing and irritating.

"I'm asking you because I walked in and noticed how Uncle Jō had to keep telling you to relax. You're always looking around like any second someone's going to pop out and stab you in the back. If you aren't up for going out I'm okay with going straight home."

Narrowed eyes became wide while the eyes of the young boy showed genuine sympathy. The teenager assassin was taken by the kindness that shined in Shuya's eyes. For the short time he knew him Goro had started to believe Shuya had something out for him, but the look in his eyes made him question all that.

 _What…what the hell is wrong with me?_ Looking away he scratched the back of his head, noting for the hundredth time how itchy the wig he was wearing. Going back home would allow him to discard the annoying disguise and be himself. That was the simple and easy thing to do.

Goro choose to walk the other way as usual.

"Any place in particular you want to go?"

* * *

Stupid as it was, he took Shuya's hand when he offered it. It actually felt…nice, warm. Still wearing the false face he'd been given he followed the little boy through the streets of Shinjuku, his previous worries slowly falling away from his mind.

In all his years Goro could say he never really took the time to walk and explore Shinjuku Central Park, most likely because he never really set foot in the Shinjuku Ward proper. His stay with the Hashioka Family was going to be a learning experience for him in more ways than one.

It was insane given the circumstances, he was one of MIA in the eyes of the public with the city's police and criminal underworld out for his blood, not to mention the slowly rising Prime Minister of Japan putting a hit out on him. And yet, here he was, walking the walkways with a twelve-year-old boy by his side as if it were a normal fall day. Speaking of which, the sky had cleared up rather nicely allowing the sun to shine and counteract the cold November chills that swept through the park. That in mind, countless people were walking with coats and jackets pulled tightly over their shoulders, especially the homeless.

Goro did his best to avoid eye contact with this people, either out of guilt or scorn. Barely three days ago he was one of them. Over ten years ago he was almost one of them. He considered becoming parent-less and homeless a preferable fate to going into foster care. In hindsight…going through with that decision might have changed things a lot in the long run. Haru's father and Futaba's mother might still be alive if he'd done it.

But if he did he never would have met Akira.

"Did you ever come here on police stack outs?"

"Maybe once or twice," He answered feigning disinterest. "Truth is…I always did my best to avoid this place."

"I can understand the feeling."

Shuffling his gaze to Shuya Goro realized there truly was more to this boy than met the eye. His sage green orbs flickered to him, and in that instant Goro saw what needed to be seen. This place held dark memories and implications for the both of them, but Shuya was strong enough to face that darkness while Goro ran from it.

He followed the elementary-schooler to what could be described as a trio of trees he assumed to be his private spot. It was separated enough from the rest of the park the two had some privacy and those that did pass through wouldn't give them a second glance. To his far, far right Goro could see the Metropolitan Government Building. It was laughable how Shido was practically turning the entire city apart looking for him and here he was, practically hiding right under his nose. Shuya put down his backpack and pulled out arguably the last things Goro was expecting-a sketchpad and a bunch of pencils.

"You draw?"

"I like being in my only little world more than being a part of everyone else's, pretty cowardly, huh?"

"No, actually, I can relate to that."

Shuya regarded him with curiosity for a moment or too before fishing into his backpack and coming out with another sketchbook. Shyly looking at the teenager then back at his sketchbook he blushed. "Um…aretheytrue?"

It took him a second to decode what he was saying. Suddenly he felt like he was back to his celebrity life standing before his mass of fans. "Is what true?"

"I…heard a rumor saying that you…are you really a Super Sentai fan?"

An autumn blew across the field sweeping Goro's fake hair to the side. In the back of his head a solitary voice roared in absolute laughter while another merely coughed in shy embarrassment. Goro himself finally gave in after quickly looking around the around. "Yes, yes I am."

"Then…from one fan to another…can you,"

He got the picture and took the sketchpad, giving the boy a small smile he returned.

Of the few sketches he'd caught he'd found Yusuke to be an extradentary artist, and opening the book he found Shuya was of similar caliber despite his young age. What was written down in each page wasn't the work of an amateur, it was the work of a dedicated Sentai fan, the kind Goro couldn't help but admire from the bottom of his heart.

"Choujin, Chouriki, Ninpu, Bakuryuu, and Mahou…" Each name was a soft stroking of his heart he hadn't realized he'd needed until viewing the illustrations of each series. In spite of it being years since he'd seen them, broadcasted on air, Goro could place more than half the poses and scenes depicted in Shuya's comic-book like style. Had Goro not known any better he could have sworn he was looking at official Super Sentai artwork; to be honest, what Shuya's artwork looked better than some of the work done by professional artist for the franchise. "You've got a gift, Shuya."

"Don't expect me to go into law enforcement to do police sketches. One look at my background and I know they'll accuse me of jotting down the wrong details so the criminal can get away." He immediately fired off getting to work in his other sketchpad.

"Wasn't planning on asking you to. Besides, talent like this shouldn't be wasted on drawing up some criminal's ugly face day in and day out." He'd already made several deductions regarding the Hashiokas and their possible origins. Each of those deductions made it all the harder for him to believe they'd take him in after finding him. For a family that was trying to avoid the police taking in the golden boy of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police was a pretty boneheaded move. Not that he could say that aloud, maybe after he'd built up a little more trust with him. Turning back to the drawings he continued flipping through them finding one serious taking prominence amongst others. "GoGo's your favorite series?"

"Yeah, believe it or not, but when I was a kid my parents and sister used to do imaginary treasure hunts with me." Shuya laughed looking to the evening sky with a distant smile. It was the first time Goro had truly seen the boy at ease. "After I saw the first episode I did everything I could to watch the entire series from start to finish."

"Then that was time well-spent." Goro proudly proclaimed. "That said, you did keep up on the recent series installment, right?"

"Of course! You think only eggheads like you know how to multi-task?"

The boys shared a laugh before going back to their respective sketchpads in silence.

In his younger years the idea of treasure hunting and exploring had also appealed to Goro. The apartment complex he and his mother had lived in was small as was the neighborhood. It was the kind of cozy place one could sprinkle a few trinkets for a mock scavenger hunt. Except Goro didn't have any fond memories of activities like that, quite the opposite. His memories were full of searching for places to hide and spend the day so he could put off returning home to his mother. Perhaps that's what had soured his opinion of the series despite the allure of traveling the world and fighting monsters. "If I could, after graduating high school I'd travel the world."

"Plan on taking anyone with you?"

"I really don't have anyone I'm close enough with for that."

"What about your partner? According to info-sites she's pretty good-looking."

"Exactly what kind of sites do you go on? Should I be worried?"

"Yes or no."

It wasn't quite that simple, especially given the fact odds were Sae wanted to be as far away from him as possible. In truth, it was actually Goro wanted to be able to travel the world without being bound by anything or anyone. Almost like a bird that flies from place to place not being weighed down by any constrictions. Subconsciously, he placed his hand against his face where his Phantom Thief mask would normally be. He hadn't realized it until now but wearing the red-beaked mask always felt better than stuffing himself under the dark helm of his alternate costume.

"As…nice as having a traveling companion would be…I don't have one." He finally admitted flipping the pages until he found what he was looking for-the Choujin set of illustrations. In a few years' time the series would go on to inspire the Phoenix Ranger Featherman, which had ballooned into its own franchise. "Quite embarrassing, isn't it? Me, golden boy of the TMPD and not a single female I can think of to take on an international trip."

"What about a guy? Is there a special guy in your life?"

"W-W-W-W-What?! WHAT?!"

Rather his loss of control was intentional or not Shuya got quite a show, as did other park-goers who stopped and gave the pair a passing look. Blushing redder than the evening sky Goro smoothed out his clothes and sat back down, giving the twelve-year-old the sharpest glare he could manage.

"So…can I take that as a yes. What's he like?"

"I don't swing that way, you just made me think of a guy who's caused me an enormous amount of grief." The Persona-user declared.

"Does he get off on it?"

"I'm convinced he lives off of it, everything, why I'm here…if I hadn't listened to him then…then…he's a nosy bastard who plants himself into matters that don't concern him, and somehow he _always_ comes out the winner in them."

Shuya observed his near pouty-expression with still eyes before going back to his drawing. "Do you think he's worried about you since you're missing?" His voice was flat leaving Goro to once more ponder what kind of angle was the child working.

"He…he…" It was strange, his mouth was attempting to force the words out, yet he had no idea what the words even were. Deep within his gut an uncomfortable knot began to form and tighten as he thought of the black-haired teen who'd thrown a curveball into every plan he had. Racking a hand through his hair he hunched over making his frustration known to the boy. "He's a damn bleeding heart, and it makes me sick."

"Would you take him on your traveling trip?" Shuya repeated in his unshaken voice causing Goro further discomfort.

"I don't know! I'd ask him, offer it to him! It's up to that idiot to say yes! Knowing him, he'd go along with it just so he could keep screwing with me!" The brown-haired teen finally answered.

"At least then you'd have the chance to screw with him back. That'd make the trip more enjoyable, wouldn't it?" He spoke wearing a thin smile. "From what I can gather, he must be pretty worried about you."

Rather than answer Goro turned his head to the side in a visible show of dismissal. "Shouldn't you be asking why I haven't tried calling anyone yet? Or are you just enjoying having the Second Coming of the Prince Detective to yourself?"

At that, Shuya shrugged laying his sketchpad against his chest while laying himself out along the grass. "We found it in the entry to a sewer looking like shit. You were tortured, a couple of days before that your apartment went up in flames. Word in the alleys is someone's making a play for power. You don't have to be a detective to see storm clouds gathering and realize it's gonna rain."

Looking the child over for a moment Goro decided to join him. Laying his sketchpad to the side he positioned himself opposite of Shuya. Together they stared at the orange and violet-painted sky intermixed with gray dots. "You talk like you've been through this before."

"…Whenever my dad's…work followed him home, I got scared. It took me a little longer than Natsuo, but eventually I learned. When animals sense rain or a storm coming they head for shelter. I do what cowards do, I hide."

"That's not what cowards do, that's logical." The seventeen-year-old softly countered. "Shuya, was your…your family was involved in the Yakuza, wasn't it?"

"Took you a bit long to figure it out, didn't you?" He chuckled. "My dad was a debt collector."

That…explained a bit more than he wanted. Working with the police he'd met a colorful cast of criminals, debt collectors usually being amongst the slimiest and most unsavory. "Is that why you're bullied at school? Does everyone know about it?"

"Part of it. Plus, in case you couldn't tell, I'm weird. Pretty much a nice good soup of 'stay the hell away from me' and bully-bait. Same thing for Natsuo, but she handles it better than I do."

"I've… been in that boat before." His curiosity picked Shuya shifted his head a little so his dark green eyes were focused on him. Goro patiently met his glance with an easy sigh. "My dad was an asshole and my mother was a drunk recluse. School was not fun for me."

That was the truth, or a version of it he felt comfortable telling to this lonely child who reminded him so eerily of himself. The public only knew what he allowed them to, what Shido had allowed to be known. Barely three people knew the truth of his earlier school years, how truly horrendous the "golden boy" was treated and where he came from.

"I think that's why I…like Super Sentai, the teams are always different, all of them coming from different walks of life. Sometimes they get along great from the start and sometimes not, but by the end…they're practically family." The auburn-haired child admitted. "Life can't be like that, but…sometimes I wish it could be."

"Don't sale reality short just yet." He shouldn't have said that, but the words left his mouth before he could stop them. Realizing he'd said them he resigned himself to lighting the spark called hope in this child, even if it brought him a step closer to destruction. "People from different walks of life can become friends, can accept each other. You just have to search far and wide for them. Most of the time, you're luck if you find one, some get really lucky."

"That…'friend' you mentioned?"

"Calling him my 'friend' is stretching it. You'd be amazed how one event can change your entire life for the better or worse."

"I already do."

This time, Goro angled his head to get a look at his fellow loner. What he saw in Shuya's eyes broke down the wall he'd struggled to build between him and the Hashiokas.

Like him this child knew pain.

"Do you have any one you could even call an associate?"

Shuya looked visibly uncomfortable for the first time. "I'm…not good with people. I don't like interacting with anyone besides my sister or uncle. My teachers have had to call my uncle in a few times because I stink when it comes to making friends."

"Yet you're willing to open up to me." Goro offered.

"That's because…" He looked into his eyes again, for the first time Goro allowed sympathy to shine giving the boy the go-ahead to continue. "I know what it feels like, to be on guard, watching yourself and everything around you, I saw it when you woke up and when you were working at Cloud Eight, paranoia. You've seen things you don't want other people to know about or can't comprehend."

"It's not a fun experience, is it?" Goro said before giving the boy a smile, it was small, but it was honest which was more than he could say for the ones he'd given to countless others. "Thank you, for rescuing me. From one freak loner to another."

Overhead a light sprinkle began to pelt the park and surrounding area; however, neither boy cared too much and proceeded with their activities. Neither spoke a word until they noticed the lights around the park beginning to turn on and Shuya heard his phone ring. It didn't take much to piece together the idea of the caller, not for Shuya at least.

When he saw the umbrella be pulled from his backpack Goro reached down and took it without question.

"Thanks for… talking with me." Shuya said stepping beneath the bright blue fabric that shielded him from the rain.

"Consider it returning the favor." Replied the older of the pair. "Out of curiosity, do you think the rumors about the 2018 series is true?"

"That it's going to be based on cops and robbers? Depends. I haven't time to check the sites and verify anything. If it is, I'm pretty excited and hope they don't cancel it on account of the Phantom Thieves." Looking up at Goro the artist narrowed his eyes. "If they're true, who will you root for?"

"Well," Goro began giving the boy a sly smile he reserved only for the likes of those he let in close. "While I am a detective I won't deny I've got a bit of a mischievous streak in me so I might give the thieves a few words of encouragement." Ahead of them the streetlight flashed red halting traffic and giving them the opportunity to pass. "Besides, no one ever said the criminal is always evil and the cop is always good."

Once they were safely across Shuya grinned at him. In the back of his head Goro heard the light-hearted chuckle of his caped archer and the gleeful cackling of his horned trickster.

* * *

 **It's a firm part of my headcanon that Goro is secretly something of a Super Sentai fanboy, I mean that was the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw Robin Hood, and the Persona series can be read as a Super Sentai parallel if you look close enough…including having a parody of it in-universe.**

 **Everyone's still a little sore over what was said at Leblanc and that's going to take a while to work out, on both sides. Goro especially is going to need what you could call a break from the group of people he sees as the greatest enigma he's ever met, Akira in particular he's not ready to face.**

 **Goro's guardians are criminals, given the broader themes of Persona 5 I felt this was appropriate route that could be explored more in depth than the game did. Expect the next few chapters to go into some rather dark or bleak places as Goro spends more time with the Hashiokas and we see what the other factions are up to in the meantime. Until next time, readers!**


	12. Chapter 11-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt4

**I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 11-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt.4**

The November Rain, as his mother had called it, some days it was something like a refreshing wash after a long day while others it was the kick in the ass you didn't need. This day Goro felt like it was a little bit of both. He wanted to spend more time with Shuya at the park, their own private little corner where they could be themselves, but nature had other ideas. Neither of them were walking home disappointed though, far from it actually.

"Can you tell me what this guy's name is?" Asked the grade-schooler keeping his eye on the oncoming traffic. "At least the first letter of his name?"

"How about you just drop it? It's ridiculous, like I said, it's his fault I'm in this mess." Groaned the runaway teenager. "Seriously, it's not that important. He's annoying, he's a pain in my ass, that's all there is to it."

"My sister says the same thing about me." Shot back the younger boy looking somewhat proud of himself. Rolling his eyes Goro had a feeling if Akira and Shuya ever met each other they'd form a fast friendship; the basis of which would be their mutual talent of annoying him. "What about you, you never really did answer my question. Is there anyone at school you're at least willing to let glance at your drawings?"

The light flashed green ushering the crowd they were in across. Maybe it was his re-awakening sentimentality, but he protectively wrapped an arm around Shuya as they made their way across. He put up no resistance to his actions, perhaps because he'd been through this before with his sister and uncle. If that was the case it meant he trusted Goro in the same way he trusted them. It felt…good to have someone trust him in such way even if he didn't deserve it. Shooting a short glance around Goro realized just how few people he'd trusted since that day over ten years ago, since his trust was betrayed by the one person he should have always been able to depend on.

"There…are a handful of people." The auburn boy finally said as they got to the other side. A rogue splash hit the back if their legs though neither boy minded too much. Once they got home they'd turn the heat up and dry off. Neither said it but both found something comforting about returning to a place of safety and comfort after some time in the rain. In Goro's case he'd often returned to an empty home with only his silence to warm him. Shuya on the other hand was the opposite, this time he was going to share that joy with the rogue detective. "A few other kids are outcasts like me, but I'm too scared to…"

"You're scared of getting rejected, aren't you?" Goro deduced looking at him sympathetically. "It's scary, isn't it, standing on the outside too afraid to look in because you're afraid you're going to be rejected." Receiving a quiet nod, he used his free hand to rustle Shuya's hair. "Just for it, their either accept you or not. They do good for you, they don't they're no different than the rest. Pick yourself up and move on. Even if she's pretty cute."

"Huh?"

"There's a girl among them, right? You can tell me if you've got a crush on her?"

With the tables turned Shuya went silent, a pink tinge coloring his face. Goro had his chance to laugh and took it without hesitation. If he wanted to he could have pressed the topic, but for the sake of the younger boy's dignity he figured he'd save that discussion for another time. Now if he could do the same to Akira he'd really be set.

Goro wouldn't say it but he'd found a certain appeal in all the somewhat mundane looking apartments and homes that neighbored the house of the Hashioka Family. While they did remind him of his own home somewhat he had to admit walking down the street pass countless other folks made him feel almost at peace. He chalked that up to the unlikely trio that had found him and took him in; their presence had been enough to overrule the negativity. Most of the homes weren't any bigger than three stories while the apartments rarely went above six floors. They were low-cost, enough for people to maintain throughout the year if they kept their finances in order and were looking for a quite place to live out their lives. The Persona-user supposed given his current status it was just the place for him to "start anew".

The Hashioka home was a two-story apartment practically sandwiched between two slightly bigger homes that were just as shabby looking. In spite of that Goro knew first hand enough space existed in the back alley that one could sneak in and out. Hanging in front of the door below the peephole was a wooden cut-out of the kanji for "victor" which he hadn't taken notice of before since he entered and left through the backdoor entrance.

"Did you carve this?" He asked taking the key offered by Shuya.

"…Yeah, I did. School project my mom encouraged me to do. Guess I found a good use for it, but pretty ironic given the place we're living in, huh?"

"Don't sale yourself short." He said turning the lock and pushing the door open. Shuya quickly hurried inside while Goro unfolded the umbrella. Out of excess caution he looked around the rain-covered street examining each and every corner with careful eyes/ Only when he was satisfied with his search did he enter in after his young friend, a mental sigh of relief leaving his lips.

"Hey! Natsuo! We're back!"

"Living room! Is Prince Pretty Boy still with you?"

Goro's eyebrow twitched at his new nickname while Shuya snickered. His chuckling only grew when he was made the target of the teenage assassin's glare. Apparently contrary to what Shuya had told him he and his sister were perfectly capable of pulling off sibling teamwork when the time called for it. Mocking him turned out to be a Hashioka sibling activity.

Folding up the umbrella and placing it in the pin he blew into his hands in an attempt to warm them up while slipping out of his shoes. After placing his coat up he looked around for the older Hashioka having lost sight of Shuya; knowing him he'd scurried upstairs to his room leaving Goro along with his unseen sister. Quietly he glanced around the hallway until his ears registered the sound of a TV. Turning to his right he saw the living room, and true to form, there sat a forty-inch television , the program running one he was unfamiliar with. Wearing a deep frown he walked up to the couch where he was sure Natsuo lay.

"Prince Pretty Boy? Really?" Glancing downward his suspicions were confirmed. Considering this was her home Goro supposed he couldn't get too snappy with her, plus he'd often come home and fell face-first into the couch and remained there.

"Would you prefer Detective Pretty Boy?" Came her muffled voice. Groaning she shuffled around so she was now facing the ceiling, or rather she was facing Goro. His annoyed expression barely faced her as she merely yawned as if awakening from a nap. "Shuya didn't annoy you too much did he? You're not thinking of taking your chances out there in the wild?

"So far you're coming closer to making me consider that than he did. Do you two have some sort of secret agreement to bug me to death?"

"Like I said, feel like taking your chances out there in the wild?"

"I would love to, but not yet." Without another word he headed for the kitchen. He hadn't got too good a look earlier that morning due to his drowsiness nor had he gotten the chance to look around and examine the interior of the decent-sized apartment. Their kitchen was naturally smaller than his, dishes piled up in the sink waiting to be washed. Perhaps to show his thanks he'd offer to do dishes after dinner had been served. After that he'd take shower then head straight to bed. Swinging the fringe open he took stock of its contents-it was everything one would expect from a family of children and adults, soda for Natsuo and Shuya, some beer for Jō when he returned home, and water and fruit juice for all three of them. Hopefully they wouldn't mind if he stole a bottle of orange for himself.

As soon as he turned around he was greeted to the sight of Natsuo watching him, a curious expression on his face. Slowly he removed the bottle from his lips, not even a single sip ever getting through as he stood completely still before the older girl. Natsuo's eyes were different from Shuya's, his carried a certain figurative and literal darkness to them that acted like pincers, once they had a hold of you they kept you liked there. His sister's eyes were similar yet there were subtle differences, the bright color of her eyes were searchlights that stayed on you; they didn't so much lock you in as sway you into standing where you were. Searchlights, Goro found something unsettling in that comparison, he was a rogue and the feeling of being caught red-handed put him in guard despite his other senses telling him there was nothing to worry about.

That all went out the window as she began moving toward him. Tensing up he looked from her face to her body, examining her in a desperate attempt to ward off the strange feeling consuming him. The skirt of what he assumed was her school uniform was peach-colored, whatever stains it'd gained from the rain had dried off much like those on his and Shuya's clothing. This was good as his eyes subconsciously wondered to her chest area where she'd decided to unbutton her dress shirt. Beneath it he could faintly make out the outline of an under-shirt. Quickly he pulled his eyes to her shoulders and hands, but before he knew it he was eye-to-eye with his fellow teenager.

Natsuo smirked at her before reaching out and gripping his wig. Calmly she pulled it off leaving his natural brown hair free to stick to his face. "How was your day? You didn't piss off anyone at Cloud Eight or piss yourself seeing my uncle's workmates, did you?"

Her voice was…genuine. She was honestly asking him how his day was while still shooting a playful jab his way. Slowly Goro felt his shoulders loose up along with the muscles in his body. The invisible blow he felt was coming never came, and based on the kind twinkle in her eyes probably never would. He was so stunned he nearly lost his grip on the orange juice he was about to drink, and would have if she hadn't gently tapped his cheek.

A subtle blush took hold of his cheeks snapping him out of his daze. "F-F-F-Fine, y-y-you're acting like I've never been around seedy characters before. If you know anything about me then you should know a bar full of criminals and thugs is nothing to me."

"Even when there's a hit out on your head?" She inquired taking a step back giving him some personal space.

Finally, he was able to down a mouth full of his drink. The fruity liquid stimulated his brain allowing him to get his thoughts back into order. "Again, I've been in sticky situations before, walking with death is nothing new for me." Out of the corner of his eye he watched her to see what reaction she'd give. If she was anything like Shuya then something told him if he gave her an inch she'd take a mile. Currently he wasn't quite sure how to feel about such things, he'd always kept his thoughts and feelings close to his chest and keeping them there. At least that was how things were until Akira came into his life.

Natsuo regarded him with a cheery smirk before proudly folding her arms in front of her chest. "I guess what I'm really trying to say is, on a scale of one to ten how paranoid were you. Even with Uncle Jō watching your back I'm guessing you were still looking over your shoulder every other minute, expecting some shoe to drop, right?" Rather than snap at her the brown-haired teenager looked at to the girl with surprise and even a bit of respect. His back leaned against the refrigerator, his body slack with released tension. "Hey, I've lead a colorful life then most people. Don't let the pretty face fool you."

"Shuya told me your dad was a debt collector." Goro fired off.

"Yep, some dumbass made the wrong loan and our dad had to pay them a visit. Made for a lot of interesting bedtime stories." She laughed throwing up her hands behind her head. "Daughter of the mob, standing right here before you, the Second Coming of the Prince Detective, crazy world, huh?"

Silently, he watched her walk back over to the couch without waiting for his response. Feeling an uncomfortable rumble in his gut he followed her back into the living room and stood over her while she lay flat along the couch to continue watching her show. "You don't seem all that embarrassed about your parentage. Most people wouldn't exactly laugh off having a loan shark for a dad, do you even know what sorts of things you father did?"

"Fool people into making loans they had no chance in hell of paying back swindling them out of more money, sometimes leaving them broke, sending some giant ogre in a suit to ruff them up, and all that jazz," her calm voice replied as if it were an ordinary question. "My dad was the kind of person a guy like you would have spent weeks trying to nail."

 _Not weeks, maybe a couple of days at most._ Thought the teenager with a somewhat haughty snort. "What would he think of his daughter conversing with a detective like me? Didn't he raise you better, to be smarter than that?"

His intended jab failed to incite her. Goro found that somewhat impressive. "Considering the state I found you, he'd be telling me to keep you on a short leash. Then again," She sat upwards and looked at him with a smile that washed away his calmness and replaced it with tension. "Based on what I've seen and heard, you're already used to that, aren't you?"

When he first awoke a voice in the back of his head told him that Natsuo was not going to be an easy person to be around. She was bold and daring, especially when she encountered resistance. Goro hated those types. He gave her a glare that could have culled Shadows, and yet she kept on smiling. Laughing off his attempt to silence her she went back to laying on the couch. Gnashing his teeth he was tempted to go upstairs and see what Shuya was doing, at least with him he'd felt an air of safety and comradery. He wanted to ask him further about his drawings and converse with him, but something told him he wanted to be left alone and Goro felt honor bound to respect that wish.

Sighing in irritation he spied the hair to the adjacent right of the couch, right in front of the window. He didn't fancy sitting in that seat so he chose the one across from it, even disregarding the somewhat foul smell that rose up from a stain on the couch. Either that had been Natsuo's doing or early in the morning he hadn't noticed. Actually, there were a lot of things in the small home he was just now beginning to take in. He wouldn't allow Natsuo the satisfaction of knowing she was right, that his paranoia was still in play and probably would remain so for the next couple of days.

"No offense, but you're kind of annoying, you know that? Prying into people then offending them within two seconds, not exactly the kind of trait that's going to win you a boyfriend." He spoke after removing his contact lens. A sigh of relief went up from him as his true eyes blinked and open. How undercover agents went twenty-plus hours in the wig and false eyes he'd never know.

"I've got plenty of friends, no boyfriend required, besides, to meet my standards they'd have to be a certain type of guy. Unfortunately, for most of the boys at my school, I'm too hot to handle." His laughter caught her attention. "What? Feel like being the first to try?"

"No, I'm…laughing for an entirely different reason, trust me." He said through a series of chuckles. "Besides, given my situation something tells me a relationship probably isn't advisable, besides, getting involved with me could screw you over."

"Hah!" Natsuo laughed crossing her arms and legs and looking at him a proud glint in her eyes. While there were a few similarities between her and Akira unlike his dark-haired counterpart Natsuo had revealed herself to be less dedicated to subtly. The inner showman in Goro found that trait respectable and even admirable. "Maybe, but I could say the same for you. Me and my family are still virtually an unknown, and yet our paths have crossed for better or for worse. I say we make the most of it." She went to the TV stand and rummaged through a collection of cases and DVDS until finding out what she was looking for. "So, what do you say to a virtual bout, Goro Akechi?"

Gaming had always been something of an off-hand hobby for him. While he did have a public image he had to maintain Goro was still a teenager who liked doing teenage games. Whenever he could he snuck away to the closest arcade and lost himself in the child-like bliss of gaming. And then came along Akira and the others. He'd only attended two "game nights" but those nights were amongst the best times of his life. The memories turned his thin frown into a bright and beaming smile, one he had no trouble in showing to Natsuo.

"Personally, I prefer King of Fighters, but I'm always game for a little street fighting. Just prepare yourself." He boldly declared.

Wearing a wide grin Natsuo booted up the family's PS4 and inserted the disk. Handing her house guest the other controller the two finally sat side by side and waited patiently for the game to finish loading. Once that was down with they leaped into the fighting game eager to see how good the other was. Within minutes the pair were totally engrossed in their play they failed to notice an occupant coming down the stairs.

Shuya didn't need much to realize his sister had started gaming without him. Though he was a little peeved Goro had stolen his turn he was content to wait, and maybe he'd have the chance to play against the brown-haired teen himself to see how good he really was. In the meantime, he'd entertain himself with his sketchpad, freshly procured from his room and pencils at the ready. He took the seat opposite of Goro without much of a word and got to drawing.

Briefly Goro paused to look across at the twelve-year-old. He looked up from his sketchpad and smiled at him. Even though it cost him the match the Persona-user returned the smile, he laughed with Natsuo over his loss before promising her the next round would be different.

* * *

 _ **November 17**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 8:10…**_

Goro wouldn't say he was too rusty when it came to virtual combat. In the end Natsuo had eleven wins to his eight, three wasn't a bad margin. At least he'd managed to tie with Shuya, who also managed to tie with his sister. All in all he considered the time well-spent, Robin Hood and Loki even agreeing with him.

It'd been a while since Goro had had Italian food and in light of his experiences he was willing to give Natsuo's and Shuya's cooking a try. So far he was not disappointed by what his nose was telling him.

"If you don't mind me asking, who taught you two how to cook?" He asked softly peering into the kitchen where the siblings were busy at work.

"Our mom." Answered Shuya. "She owned a restaurant in Kabukicho from here, it was a pretty snazzy place."

He noted the use of the word "was" meaning it was no longer there. As a detective every word and tone it was spoken in was meant to be dissected to give him a clearer picture. For once Goro didn't want to put the picture together, at least not without the Hashiokas permission. Contending himself with his answer he waited patiently at the table until he heard Natsuo triumphant shout.

"Uncle Jō probably told you he'd be running late so we won't wait up for him. We set aside some for him when he comes home so eat-up!"

Never before had a home cooked meal looked so beautiful in the eyes of Goro. Actually, he hadn't had many home-cooked meals in his life period. His mother had done her best, but cooking at home had rarely been her thing, and that was when she was responsive and fully coherent. Usually things were the other way around, she was the one praising his cooking, sloppy as it was. When she was somber, when she was drunk or in the midst of a depression it was another story entirely.

"I think he likes our cooking." He heard Shuya whisper over his own somewhat rabid devouring.

"I think so too, well, I guess when mom wakes up we'll be able to tell her we mastered her Fettucine Alfredo recipe." Said the oldest observing him as she calmly ate her own cheese-coated meal. "So how do we measure up to all the big and fancy restaurants around Tokyo?"

"Better, you're better. At least in my opinion." Goro answered taking a brief pause to wipe his lips with some napkins. As embarrassing as it was a part of him felt…at home. "For the record, I didn't piss myself at Cloud Eight, I just had a lot on mind, that's all."

"He was thinking about a special someone, the guy who got him into this mess." He probably should have expected Shuya saying something, he actually did. That still didn't stop him from shooting a half-glare the boy's way.

The real problem was Natsuo, who was now giving him a Cheshire smile that made his blood run cold. He had to take control before her mind raced off into the wrong direction.

"Natsuo, listen to me, it's not what you-"

She held up a hand. "Hey, I'm no one to judge. I hang out with a colorful cast of people at school and so does Shuya. Far as I see it you're just another one to the pile."

"Dammit, it's not like that! I hate that bastard! I hate him!" The teenage detective whined racking his hands through his hair. In his head he saw Akira, laughing at him with his back turned. Was he laughing at this moment? Was he eating dinner with the Sakuras and laughing at some stupid joke or over some idiotic tell? "Seriously, can't we talk about something else! Please!"

"Alright, alright, since you're our guest I suppose it's unfair to torture you like this." Declared the flame-haired girl, though her constant snickering and sideways glances made it clear she would have liked to continue his torment. "To save you the trouble of figuring it out I go to school at Hisayuki High School, almost ten blocks from here. You heard of it?"

"I have, you must have got in through your grades because I hear enrollment fees cost a fortune." Pausing to recall his knowledge he put the pieces together. When he did Goro gave his fellow teenager a bit of a dry stare. "Must be hell for you, coming from a crime family and having to go to school with snobs like that."

"I make do." She shrugged. "I'm pretty infamous at school, but I thrive in infamy unlike certain people. I'm a member of the school's journalism club, we're practically the third most hated faction in the entire school."

"Who's number one and two?"

"Number two is the student council, or as we call them, the lapdogs, and number one are the dog owners-the teachers." She answered with a shrug. "What about you? Did being Tokyo's golden boy affect you at school?"

It had, sometimes in positive ways and other times in ways he wished he could have avoided. Most days the good outweighed the bad. When he did return to public life how would his school life be affected? Would his survival earn him a level of street cred from those that had previously shunned him? _It's not like it matters, it shouldn't. I've got bigger things to worry about than that._ "My school is Hakuchou Academy in Shibuya, I'm assuming you've heard of it."

"Figures you'd be going to an upscale school like that." Shuya noted twirling his meal with his fork. "One of the top ten rated schools in all of Tokyo, you got in through grades since you probably didn't have any parents to pull strings for you?"

"Pretty much," He replied leaning back in his seat. Hakuchou Academy was a private school the likes of which hundreds of Japanese kids only dreamed of getting into. And he'd done it through nothing but his own sweat and hard work. Of the few things in his life he took pride in that was one of them. "I worked my ass off in junior high and got a few good recommendation letters from a few teachers who I asked. Call it a small miracle."

"So we're both somewhat out of the ordinary at our respective schools." Natsuo said giving him a sideways glance. She was right of course. The usual income of the parents of Hakuchou's students were more than what some made in an entire work year, including some of the officers he worked with. Despite his impressive grades Goro had come to the school as a "poor boy" with big brain he knew how to use. "I've done a few stories about the place, where do you stand? In the heart of the place's social circle or living on the outskirts?"

Lowering his fork Goro stared at his half-finished Alfredo with somewhat distant eyes. His first impulse was to lie, but the siblings would see through his lie in a second and that would be the end of it. Telling the truth was…scary, yet as the saying went, truth was sometimes the best option. Sucking in a deep breath he started, "It's a little bit of both. I know who's who and what's going on, but I don't pay much attention to it. Matter of fact, I really don't have _any_ friends at Hakuchou Academy because no there…"

"No one gets you?" Shuya offered looking at him with a sympathetic smile.

"Pretty much." Goro smiled back. "Truth is I…I've gone my while high school life without having anyone I can really call a friend. I like to think it's because I've been busy, but the truth is it's…hard to find someone to talk to."

"Someone who you can be real with and not have them laugh in your phase or pretend to care about your problems?" Inquired the older Hashioka. Seeing his nod, she too gave him a look of sympathy. "Trust us, been there, done that. Besides, once I went over to the place and let me tell you, ten minutes and I was ready to take a blow torch to the whole place, or lob a stink bomb their way as I was leaving. In light of all that does hanging with us count as a nice break from school?"

"Close enough," Goro shrugged getting back to his eating. "Rumors are always running rampant, I keep an ear to the ground for them, but I stay out of most of it." _Partially because I wouldn't be able to control myself if I stopped and really listened in._ He had to admit, there was bit of sweet irony when he thought of Akira's school experience. In a way they hadn't been all that different, both of them had learned how to shake off the nose around them and focus on their only goals. Granted, in the long run he'd admit Akira might have been better at it than him. "If you're ever asked to do a story about Hakuchou Academy consider me a source, I'll happily spill the beans on some of the school's most snobbish."

"Offering to sell your fellow classmates down the river, how devious of you, Detective Akechi?" She grinned at him.

Laughing darkly, he met her glance. There was something charming in the wicked smile she was giving him, it gave him the freedom to let some of his own inner darkness out. "Well, as I'm sure you've both probably deduced, I'm not such a nice guy myself."

"Heh, pretty much nobody in this house is. That's part of the appeal." Shuya laughed. "So, we all have crappy school lives, who would have known."

Goro never would have known. He never would have known how comfortable or safe he could feel talking to people who were perhaps almost as tainted as he was. It was a good feeling, one he felt he could bask in for a while longer. Until danger returned he decided he'd enjoy the spark of light that was the Hashioka household.

* * *

After dinner he'd decided to do the dishes, his way of giving thanks to the pair for the evening. Despite stating she had homework she had to do Natsuo decided to join him, her iPod in her pocket with music chiming through her handphones. Seeing it Goro realized at some point he was probably going to have to get a phone. The problem was with Komori Goro knew the radio waves were being watched meaning if he was too hasty he'd lead Shido right to him. As they washed and dried he shot several unsettling glances Natsuo's way. Obviously there was more to the girl than met the eye, but how much more? Could he risk asking her for a favor? Did she have those kinds of connections? Would it be too much to ask her if she did?

 _ **You know, in my line of experience if you directly ask a girl for something your odds of getting it are better.**_ Robin chimed in, clearly amused by his nervousness.

 _ **Depends on what you're asking, what about the foreplay and buildup?**_ Echoed Loki with maniac laughter that caused Goro to mentally facepalm.

 _Can you two just be quiet? I'll figure this out eventually._ Miraculously, they listened. After a day of solid rest and relaxing his mind should be back at full strength allowing him to brainstorm a path forward. A shower and a goodnight's sleep would help do that. He'd work through possible options the next morning while working at Cloud Eight.

But of course, such a simple plan had to be derailed.

After he'd finished cleaning the dishes he readied himself to take a shower. Just as he was about to step into the tub his vision distorted and warped. Rather than a tiled wall and rising steam he saw a door, a strange blue, violet, and gold-lined door. Instantly his mind recognized the trio of colors and he sucked in a breath. It came too late as an unseen force swiftly kicked him in the backside sending him stumbling forward, just as the door opened.

Goro couldn't repress the painful groan as his face slammed against the cold iron bars of his seal. Through the haze of pain, he heard a familiar snicker. If he had to guess, it was Caroline who'd kicked him.

"Nice to see you too, were you guys starting to miss me?" Groaned the brown-haired teenager as he slowly got his bearings. His vision cleared up allowing him to see the twins, and beyond them sitting at his desk was the master of the Velvet Room. Of course, Igor was smiling at him, sending chills up his spine.

"Miss you? Don't make me laugh, Inmate B, we called you back because we were worried you were going to start getting sloppy!" Roared Caroline twirling her baton. Beside her Justine simply sighed in annoyance and began writing something down on her clipboard. "It's our job to keep you sharp. What'll it look like when you step back into Mementos and get your sorry ass handed to you in your first fight back?"

Taking note of her words his red eyes looked to the other two Velvet Room occupants. Slowly he stood up, the pain from his face-fault gone and his voice sharp. "I'm assuming there's a way for me to access the Metaverse without a phone? Do you plan on letting me in on the secret?"

"In time, Lost One, but for now, a discussion must be hand. Is it wise, consorting with ramble such as those three?" Asked Igor from his seat. His smile was still as taunting as ever and being the target of it made Goro wish his cell was bigger so he could hide somewhere. "Surely stronger, better prospects can be found beside those three, why not venture out and find them? Perhaps ones that are of more to your liking?"

"Such as?" He responded crossing his arms defiantly. Caroline looked at him with annoyance while Justine seemed intrigued. "They've welcomed me into their home, clothed me, and feed me, I may be a bastard but even I have standards. Besides, if I ran out on them I'd be no better than…"

"But have you not already crossed that line, Lost One?" Calmly spoke the long-nosed man. His flat tone and cold eyes sent a shiver up Goro's spine that nearly broke his resolve. Just as he did before he began drumming his fingers along the table, as if he were quietly wittingly away time. As if Goro's whole existence wasn't hanging in the balance. "You have lied, murdered, stolen, and cheated, just as your father has done, all in the name of revenge. Since you've already fallen so far why not make the full decent, what more do you have to lose?"

Cold sweat broke out along Goro's skin realizing he was caught. He…he had…in his quest for vengeance he'd broken almost all the rules Shido had, and for what?

 _ **For justice, even if it be twisted and warped.**_

 _ **To show that no one, not even the king atop the throne, is above the reach of vengeance.**_

The two hands fell like raindrops atop his shoulders putting his building fear to ease. His once flexed out fingers tightened into fists, a steady breath came in through his nose and came out through a slight crack in his lips. Caroline and Justine looked to him with wide-eyes as he turned his attention to Igor. "I won't deny you have a point, but I'm walking a different path than he is. I don't lead people around with false praise, nor do I make a habit of abusing them for my own personal amusement or as outlets for my aggression. Also, while they may be annoying, the Hashiokas are ten times better than the suit-wearing cronies Shido surrounds himself with. Same goes for the Phantom Thieves." Behind his calm mask he inwardly gasped at the praise he'd just given to his so-called teammates. Either this realm had greater effect on his thoughts than he realized or he really was changing.

Igor seemed somewhat disappointed by his answer, at first at least. Slowly his smile warped into something worse, something that made Goro question if he'd given the "right" retort to his statement.

Justine was his unlikely savior. "The Sun, the Moon, and the Hanged Man, all of their powers have increased. Strange, the boost…your growth is almost equivalent of his, one month of his growth."

"By his…do you…mean Akira?" He asked somewhat reluctantly.

"Yes, I believe the difference lies in how you both are presenting yourselves." The docile twin explained now looking him in the eye. Goro wasn't sure why, but there was something calming about speaking with the braided twin. Perhaps it was because of the two she was the quiet and more orderly one, something that Goro could relate to. "When he began his journey, he was shrouded in darkness to those he approached giving off an air of caution, but you are not. To them, you are practically naked, or rather, you are like them-shadows."

"Heh, talk about weird luck. A weirdo brat and his jabber-talking older sister, figures you'd fit in with them, like a match made in crap-vill."

Even if he had his issues Goro took issue with Caroline's description of his caregivers and made it known with a sharp glare. He didn't care if he got shocked or hurt, something told him to stay up for the Hashiokas that had taken him in. _Gratitude, I'm…I'm feeling genuine gratitude to them. I can't even lie to them the same way I lie to everyone else._ Over time he'd let the Phantom Thieves in, but only after such a prolonged period of examination and planning. All of it was calculated, or supposed to be. At some point he'd grown to care about them; that was why he was hoping he could stop with Akira, there was no need to visit more misery upon the rest of them. With the Hashiokas there was a stark difference, each of them seemed able to see through him as if he were transparent. _Their father was a loan shark…and their mother…they must be connected somehow. But where does Jō fit in? Based on his last name he's possibly their maternal uncle._ He laughed realizing in spite of all he'd been through his mind was still working on putting the pieces together. Perhaps he there was something of a true detective in him after all.

"Still, is it wise to let them in? Do you think they are dark enough to withstand your taint?" Justine inquired turning her head to the side. "How do you think they'll react to your darkness?"

He'd been dreading that question for a while and had come to fear its answer. Where would he go if they decided he was more trouble than he was worth? Could it make it back to Leblanc? Would the others welcome him back? Scorn him? He had so much to be scared of, yet the answer to it all was staring him clear in the face.

"I'll cross that bridge…when I come to it." He resigned. "You said my power had increased, am I going to be needing it?"

"Yes, Mementos…new hunters have arrived and they're out for your blood." The orderly one affirmed.

Her statement caused Goro's eyes to go wide and his heart to skip beat. "Terashima," he whispered. "Wait, you said hunters, plural. He's not alone, is he?"

"Quite astute, Lost One." Chuckled the suit-wearing man. "The Metaverse is no longer a private place, it appears others have learned how access it, or rather, your short-term solution to the problem has failed. How long exactly did you think you could forestall the inevitable?"

Goro wanted to say until Shido had been toppled and his empire crumbling to the ground. _Why the hell can't a simple plan ever go right?_

 _ **Because life is chaotic, the real test is how we attempt to the unexpected.**_ Loki advised. He'd been there when the deed was done and had warned Goro he'd only have a limited amount of time to execute his plan before the "board shifted". Thanks to Akira he'd missed that time window and now he was paying for it.

"Can you tell me how many? Or at least give me an idea what's now after me?"

"And spoil the fun? Get real, Inmate B." Laughed Caroline giving him an evil glare. "Before you and Inmate A were playing on easy mode, but now you guys have switched to hard mode. You're both gonna need everything you've got to survive."

So no hints? Lovely, but it wasn't like he hadn't worked in the dark before. "Fine then, can you at least tell me if those after me are after Akira and the others as well?"

"I believe the answer to that question is self-evident." Igor spoke looking completely disinterested. "Lost One, think for a moment. Knowing your tyrant of a father, do you believe he'd solely waste time on you? That he'd devote all of his resources towards ending your existence at the price of his _other_ enterprises?"

He was about to answer yes but then the full scope of Igor's words hit him like a hammer. Underestimating Shido had got him into this mess, and if he did so again God knew where he'd end up. "Terashima has a Persona meaning he can…he can access the Metaverse too." Cold terror griped his heart as the implications of the statement revealed themselves to him. He hadn't gone a good look at his Persona, but it must have been powerful, extremely powerful. "But he manifested it in the real world. How did he do that? How's that possible?" Goro demanded gripping the bars.

Justine and Caroline looked to each other then back to their master. Igor was still drumming his fingers along as if he didn't have a care in the world. Only Goro's intensifying glare caused him to look up and give him his attention. "Lost One," He began, his voice booming across the small dimension like a clamp of thunder. "My Velvet Room has existed since the dawn of human consciousness, I have always been and will always be for as long as human thought persists. Knowing that, do you so arrogantly believe you and the Trickster were the first ones to make my acquittance?"

Those words, so flat yet cold as glaciers, hit directly into Goro. Slowly he backed away from the bars, realizing how little he truly knew about the Metaverse and even his own powers. It wasn't until Akira that he began to question how powerful he was and what his limits were. _Morgana said the Metaverse has always been there, always. Not to mention there was that incident in Inaba a few years back…and before almost a decade before…that incident in Sumaru City._ When he discovered his powers he'd only given mild interest to researching what it was. Now he was sorely regretting that decision.

"Inmate B," Justine spoke causing him to look to her. She seemed almost sympathetic to his sudden wariness. "Your journey has just begun, there are many things for you to discover. Not all of them will be pleasant nor will they be easy for you to comprehend. Knowing that, do you still wish to go forward?"

"…I've come this far, haven't I?" Answered the imprisoned teenager giving the girl a hard look. "If I quit, what the hell does that make of everyone and everything I've gone through? I may be a murderer, but I'm no quitter, not until a bullet's in my heart or my head."

From there his mind went hazy. Mouths moved yet Goro found it hard to place the words being said. The last thing he saw were Justine and Caroline, both them looking at him with almost positive expressions. Goro's vision blurred seeing them, like a TV that froze in mid-picture, then his vision went dark.

"Gah!" He screamed he found himself back in reality. Only barely did he catch himself from falling.

"Akechi! You okay in there?!" Shouted Natsuo from beyond the door.

"Fine! Fine! Just, um, lost my balance for a second!" Goro shouted back. She seemed to buy it as the outside went quiet. Shutting his eyes, he allowed the sound of the shower head to fill up his world while placing his hands against the wall. "There's so much I still don't know…but tomorrow, I have to start changing that." Whispered the teenager, a look of fiery determination engraving itself upon his face.

* * *

 _ **9:39 PM…**_

He came into the shower expecting to come out relaxed but instead he came out feeling like he was about to go rock climbing. Oddly enough, he still felt a little rejuvenated, perhaps that was because it meant he had something to focus his mind towards. As he made for his room he was somewhat surprised to find Jō standing in the doorway, a bag clenched in his hands.

"Hey, they didn't try to poison you at dinner, did they?" He asked.

"No, but they did annoy the hell out of me. I almost would have preferred to having dinner at Cloud Eight."

"Trust me, you wouldn't. We had a rowdy bunch come in tonight. It was no place for a high-schooler to be." The older man grunted holding out the bag for him.

When he took the bag he first checked the weight of the bag so he had an idea of what he was getting. Pulling away the plastic his mouth went agape at what he saw.

"Though I'm out of the game I've still got a few connections, I used them to get you a decent phone, don't worry, it's untraceable." Jō smirked at his gaping expression when his red eyes looked to him. "Hey, I'm old but I've been around enough to know how the game works. You want to lay low and you can do that, but if you've got allies out there, it wouldn't hurt to contact them and let them know you're alright."

Looking between the smartphone and the man Goro felt like his heart was going to explode. One of his most pressing obstacles had just been…removed, fixed, and he didn't even have to lift a finger to do it. The whole thing was…unsettling, not in a bad or horrible way, but it left him feeling like he was floating in a pool. "I…I…I can't, I mean, not that I can't accept the phone, but I…I…I need some time."

"Understandable. I already entered my number and Natsuo and Shuya's into the contact list." Stepping forward he placed a hand on the young boy's shoulder and gave him a soft smile. "I know you've probably been through hell, trust me, but you can trust me and my nephew and niece. You have my word."

Goro felt like a child, for all the blood on his hands and what little wisdom he thought he'd possessed, the aura of the bearded man washed over him and calmed him. Tightening his shoulders, he looked away, out of instinct defiance rose up within him even if it was doomed to fail. "You shouldn't trust me, you barely know me. The real me. How can you tell I'm worth…any of this?"

Jō's laugh was irritating, just as irritating as his niece and nephew, further proof that all three were related. "Because, in this society, in this country, we bastards have it tough, so I think we should accept whatever lucky breaks we can get."

He nearly dropped the phone due to the loss of air in his lungs. His legs lost all their strength and if not for Jō's steady grip he was sure he would have collapsed onto the floor. His dark brown eyes, warm and understanding they…they were understanding, hopeful.

"How…how did you know?"

"From the way you watched the Shido interview." Replied the ex-gangster with a calm voice. "I can't tell you the number of times I grew up catching glimpses of my father and wishing I could knock his block off. The only saving grace was my mom…and my brother."

"Your brother," Goro asked suddenly remembering the dinner conversation. "Natsuo and Shuya's father,"

"My half-brother, and my best friend." He answered looking at him with a gentle expression. "I made a promise to him when he was killed I'd look after his family, our family. My sister-in-law, Natsuo and Shuya, those are my people. As for you, does Shido know?"

All things considered, he was taking things remarkably calmly. Hell, Goro felt like he was on the verge of a panic attack given his earliest secret had just been blown with so little effort. Slowly, he inhaled to in order to calm his racing emotions. "He…does, he's the reason I was…I don't think you'd believe me if I told you."

"You can tell me tomorrow at work, but for tonight, you're still my house guest. Enjoy yourself a little while you're here. This place is far below four-eyes' radar, and trust me, I've worked hard to make sure it falls below everyone else's. You've got some time to think and collect yourself. Don't squander it."

Silently nodding Goro returned to his room making sure to seal the door shut behind him. With the lights turned off and soft pander of rain outside he walked towards his bed, setting the phone down beside him.

Placing his hands on his knees Goro Akechi bowed his head and did something he hadn't done in what felt like ages.

He cried.

* * *

 **I had to do a little reversion to the ending as I planned on Jō and Goro having their talk at Cloud Eight, but the more I wrote the more the direction changed until I decided on this. Next chapter will see the fallout his revelation and Goro coming to terms with the fact the home he's in has a stronger connection to him than he originally thought, and why he might have even ended up there.**

 **After playing Persona 5 I did a little background digging regarding illegitimate children in the east and it…put some things regarding the game into prospective, such as why Goro did what he did and why Shido was planning on getting rid of him no matter what. Up until a few years ago it was apparently completely okay for children borne out of wedlock to be discriminated against in Japan. While in the west steps have been taken to crack down on the stigma (with debatable success) in more socially conservative countries like Japan and say India the stigma still exists, sometimes resulting in said children being murdered and cast out. While Persona 4 teased the idea 5 explored it, though it could have done a better job at doing so. Futaba pretty much flew under the radar since she had Sojiro to take her in while Goro…didn't get so lucky; I feel like that's a possible connection that could have been explored. According to some research children born out of wedlock sometimes develop an intense desire to succeed in life, if only to prove the worth of their existence as something more than a "crime" or "mistake", Goro's character very much resonates with that study when looking at his public persona and his Black Mask identity.**

 **Somewhat positive examples of such are Alexander Hamilton, Swedish artist Anders Zorn, and T.E. Lawrence AKA Lawrence of Arabia. All three are recorded as being driven by their illegitimate status to achieve great success. In the case of Lawrence, his own mother encouraged her as a means of regaining** _ **her**_ **lost honor through him. Needless to say, this lead him to develop some deep-seated personal issues post-war. For all the advancements, some parts of the world still haven't moved beyond the last two hundred years, and Japan, though not high on the list, is still among them.**

 **Originally, I was going to have Goro's school be Kosei High, same as Yusuke and Hifumi who I plan on him interacting with, but I decided against after some thought. Hakuchou is the Japanese word for the Cygnus constellation, Cygnus, the swan. It's mentioned in the backstory how Goro never really had anyone to talk to so I decided some symbolism wouldn't hurt. At school he's a black bird that symbolizes death and evil amongst a flock of white birds that symbolize peace, with the police one could argue his** _ **very existence**_ **violates the law so he's not even safe there. All that said, I decided what would happen if you took him out of those supposedly "good" settings and put him in a place as dark as night and with people just as "black" as he is. The end result I believe is he starts to feel a little more at ease since he's now in the darkness, where he "naturally" belongs.**

 **Hopefully I'll be able to update in another week or so, until then everyone!**


	13. Chapter 12-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt5

**Sorry for the extended wait, my schedule was a little more filled than I thought it would be.**

* * *

 **Chapter 12-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt. 5**

 _ **November 17**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 11:56 PM**_

 _ **Location, Unknown…**_

"Damn."

It was natural with everyone going on something was going to slip his mind. Thankfully, he'd worked long enough to ensure nothing major ever fell beneath his line of focus such as calculations, equations, brain wave patterns, psychology effects, and so forth. That of course, left only the "little issues" like forgetting to eat occasionally, his clothes, and most of all his snacking habits. Originally Kenzaburō had grabbed two packs of cherry and one pack of orange, instead it'd been two cherry and one lemon. Not that he disliked lemon, he was simply in the mood for his preferred flavor as he usual was after an important breakthrough. Not to mention it made dealing with unruly superiors and co-workers easier. As far as the former went, Shido was without a doubt the most difficult parentage he'd ever worked under. That said, he had the most resources that could allow him to continue his research, and under him the successes he'd had.

That success stared back at him from behind the glass screen that separated him and the operating room. The test subjects were just now coming out of their disoriented daze and coming to grips with their new powers. The crimson glow surrounding their bodies had yet to fade.

"Um, sir, is that…normal? Shouldn't the color be blue?" Spoke one of his aids in slight worry as the four men began to examine not just their bodies but the ethereal deities floating behind them.

"Only for bleeding hearts, record the data and catalogue it." He answered.

"Dr. Kenzaburō, the um, _director_ has arrived." Said a second aid who came jogging up to him, a look of visible worry and annoyance plastered on her face.

He blew one bubble before shaking his head in resignation. His night had been going well so far, but that could only last for so long. "Very well, no need for escorts. Just get back to your stations and inform me of any updates." Both aids looked to him in sympathy before dispersing to follow his instructions. Around him several groaned or rolled their eyes realizing once more the serene work environment they'd all grown comfortable with was going to become a hotbed of tension. _I go from a singular asshole to a corporation of assholes back to a single asshole but one with an ego the size of a planet. Wonderful track record you have created for yourself, Yuudai._

As expected, in the short four minutes he took him to leave Lab-C and get to the main lobby Shido had grown impatient. When he saw him, he made sure Kenzaburō knew it. "You realize I own this building, that I pay for practically everyone and everything in it, including you."

The glare he shot him was far colder and stricter than those of his past patrons, but that didn't make the brown-haired veteran doctor backdown. No, he'd long since learned there was only one way to handle men like Shido, and it wasn't giving it if only to placate them. If there was one thing foster care had done for him, it'd taught him it always paid to deal with bullies directly. "Shido-san, I won't argue with that point since it's true, _but_ without me and my people, this building would go back to what it originally was. And you'd be out one cognitive scientist, the same one who's helped bring you this far. Where would you be then?"

Immediately, the temperature fell like a lightning strike. The receptionist and those around them froze in place for a splint second before attempting to carry on with their daily activities. A visible layer of sweat had broken out along their faces and palms, their every step was tinged with nervousness owing to the silent showdown unfolding between the scientist and politician. For many this wasn't the first time they'd been caught in the crossfire of such an engagement, but for the newer members it felt like they'd walked into a furnace.

Shido wasn't quite sure what to make of the fifty-eight-year-old man who stood defiantly before him. He preferred subordinates that fell int line when he asked him to, but Kenzaburō, unfortunately, was not one of those people. Even worse, if Shido lost control of his temper and moved against the veteran researcher…well, now that he had a taste of the power afforded by the supernatural he was very reluctant to give it up. Not to mention he still had enemies out there, dangerous enemies who would do anything to see him fall. For the moment he held the monopoly on the power of "Personas" as they were called as well as domain of that other world, the "Metaverse" as described by his researchers. As it stood no one was more versed in the two than Kenzaburō, and the man knew that and made sure to exploit it when needed. Shido both hated and respected the old doctor for that trait. While obedient servants were useful, from time to time there was nothing wrong with one that showed more fight in them and pushed Shido.

That said, there was a limit to how far he would allow himself to be pressed before he started pushing back. He was still the ultimate head of this operation.

"I was told you had a breakthrough, I've come to see it. You should know I expect all the time and funding I've given you to be worth it." Snorted the bald-headed man attempting to play off the tension.

Amusement cackled in the old doctor's pale caramel eyes like embers from a fire. Swallowing his gum, he reached into his pocket and pulled out another stick in plain view of Shido. The rising politician wrinkled his nose in annoyance but said nothing. Since meeting and agreeing to work together the he'd learned how to curb his words regarding Kenzaburō's habits. Most of the time anyway. "Then follow me, future Prime Minister Shido. I can assure you, your fortunes have not been spent on a fool's errand. Far from it actually."

With a raised eyebrow Shido followed his chief scientist. He wouldn't admit it, but a small part of him was somewhat giddy about he was to see.

Two minutes in and he wasn't disappointed.

In the beginning, he'd been extremely skeptical of the "paranormal" as the scientist of the original team had called it. Wakabe Isshiki, who he expected to be a baston of rationality, even began subscribing to the term shocking him somewhat. Bit by bit though, he'd seen she might have been right as had some of the others. Men and women whose bodies glowed with ethereal flames, the likes of which seemed like something out of a comic book or movie; behind them floating various supernatural entities whose existence defied all manners of logic. He faintly remembered the idea being broached, the existence of creatures born from the subconscious mind. Beyond imaginary friends and hallucinations, he doubted such things were true, but as Kenzaburō gave him a tour of the labs, he realized such ideas weren't so far-fetched.

Going hand-in-hand with the wonder though, was dread.

As he stared at the psyche-born creatures, some who remained stationary and docile while others snapped and tore at anything and anyone in range. Stronger beings than these cartoon-like figures and the like existed, he knew so from Akechi himself. Would any of these odd-looking creatures and their summoners be enough to stop his wayward son? Probably not, but they'd do a good job in slow him down until he could put his real plans into effect.

"Like what you're seeing so far, Mr. Shido?" Came the voice of the graying-haired man beside him. The humor in his voice was somewhat mocking, but Shido was willing to look past it.

"I'm…somewhat satisfied." Was his measured reply. "So, these…beings are called…Personas, correct?"

"Yes, quite spectacular, aren't they?" He chuckled as the four test subjects below them, all former gangsters turned his lab rats. Truthfully, he'd been expecting a nine out of fifteen-casualty rate when they began testing and trials. Surprisingly, quite a few subjects had shown a strong enough will or adapted fast enough to survive the artificial awakenings they'd induced. Granted, a small number had burned out shortly afterwards leaving them either comatose, dead, or stark-raving mad. Such things were expected though, and they provided useful data as the bodies were carted away either to the medial bay or to the morgue to be disposed of. "By our last estimates, we have forty-six stabilized Persona users and counting."

"Does that include the one that's about to collapse right there?" Asked the suit-wearing man pushing up his glasses.

Down in the testing area one of the subjects began to destabilize. The crimson-colored flames that surrounded him began to falter and wreath as if they were sick. Above him, his Sandman began to break apart as if it were a stone statue, heart-rending howls leaving the mythical being's lips just as its owner began to claw at his own head. His fellow subjects looked at him in horror and shock before calmly backing away. Falling to the ground the subject tore at the steel-plated floor like a mad beast, then he rolled over onto his back, his hands cradling his head. Blood was leaking from his nose and beginning to fall from his eyes, now going increasingly red.

"Hm, seems we've got another burn out." Kenzaburō noted looking to the workers behind the panel. "How are his vitals?"

"He's reaching his breaking point, sir." Answered one of the female doctors. "He should reach critical in three…two…"

None of the other test subjects nor the scientist or politician behind the protective glass wall raised an eyebrow as the man's final death cry went loud. Sandman howled to the obscured sky then shattered into an array of crystal-like fragments. They made for an excellent backdrop for the subject's final moments, which were nothing more than a few short breaths, twitching, and then finally silence. From the sidelines, the survivors pointed to their unfortunate compatriots with either looks of annoyance of apathy.

"Cleanup on ale six!" Somewhat snickered.

"How often has that happened?" Shido immediately demanded with narrow eyes devoid of anything resembling sympathy or sadness at the life lost.

"For every four successes there's at least two failures or so. As you can imagine, petty criminals and low-level flunkies are proving to be rather docile, but maybe two steps above them and we've got some interesting candidates." Answered the former SEBAC employee seconds before blowing a yellow-colored bubble then popping it. "I don't suppose Hasegawa is willing to lend us a few of more of his men, specifically the heavy-hitters and higher-ups, is he?"

"He will after I have a talk with him." Answered the bald-headed tyrant placing his hands behind his back. A straight frown had grown across his face, yet it was easy to see the gears turning in his head, the schemes and plots coming together into a dark web of power and corruption that would only lead to disaster for someone. "Willpower is a key factor in the awakening and sustaining of a Persona, correct?"

"Yes sir."

"Then I'll have Hasegawa give us his best men to serve as test subjects. If the pattern I've read about holds true they should be able to get more than just legionnaires or foot soldiers."

"That may be true, yes. Send anyone your people can scrap up and we'll handle the rest, but I must make one advisement, please, allow me to study Goro Akechi before you dispose of him." Instantly, the glare that he'd fought off earlier returned with renewed scrutiny. And again, Kenzaburō stood his ground. "Don't look at me like that, I may be building you an army, but that boy himself contains the power to turn himself into a one-man army, one with the ability to not just lay siege to Palaces, but potentially take the entire Metaverse."

"…And he squandered that power." Snapped back the politician.

"Then allow me to correct him." Returned Kenzaburō equally narrowing his eyes. "Mr. Shido, I know how you feel about the boy, but I highly advise you not to dismiss him just because he decided to go against you. He possesses a power known as the Wild Card, if we could harness it then we could make the need for these vast armies and networks obsolete. Not to mention the boy's made it this far, even if he's not up to Terashima and Hikawa's level, he can be made into something useful."

The invisible auras of the two men once more conflicted and crashed against each other. Shido's pushed for dominance as it always did while Kenzaburo's remained as immobile as a mountain. It was a well-known fact that Masayoshi Shido did not like being challenged by his enemies or his underlings. Few could do what Kenzaburo was doing and get away with it, for that the older man had gained something of an invisible badge of honor amongst the more rowdy bunch of Shido's conspiracy. In particularly, those that would have liked to say a thing or two to their glorious leader about how he treated the people beneath him. If he could have gotten away with it Shido would have done something about that.

Kenzaburō's bobble expanded and popped four times, each one driving Shido's annoyance further and further. He'd read about the brown-haired doctor's…habits that he couldn't shake even when he was on the job. At first, he was stupid enough to believe he'd be able to handle them or beat them out of Kenzaburō, but he'd been wrong, the man was more resilient than he's given him credit for. Not to mention he'd found a way to use said habits to annoy him.

Arguably, the icing on the cake of this entire mess was that Kenzaburō knew he was irreplaceable, and when he gave advice, Shido had to at least lend half an ear to listen. Even when what he was saying made his stomach do backflips.

Behind his back, his hands tightened as did his face. "I was told progress had been made on Project Kerberos, I'd like to see it." He finally said in a tempered voice that sill conveyed several waves of malice.

Blowing out his bubble Kenzaburō put the standoff down as a win in his book. "Right this way, Mr. Shido."

As they walked it became clear to all that a cocoon of frozen tension had fell over the two men. Wisely, every man and woman right down to the security officers did their best to stay out of their way. Once it became obvious where they were going whispers broke out amongst the staff, though they made sure it was kept low enough that neither men, or rather Shido, wouldn't take notice. What had been a smooth-sailing night that turned into a stormy journey where one had to hold on tight to make it past the next minute.

For Shido and Kenzaburō, their journey took them down several levels ending with them maybe a hundred feet below the ground. Almost half a century ago the facility had been a bomb shelter during the Pacific War where the nation's most important where to be sheltered, or at least, that was after they re-designed it from being an ammunitions bunker. In the years since knowledge of the bunker was forgotten about by many, but not Shido. He'd always been faintly aware of the underground complex that lay beneath the eleven building above them. Kenzaburō had been quite pleased just about the entire place had been given to him to set up shop, and he'd made the most out of this.

For their more…dangerous experiments, the underground complex had been ideal as in the worst-case scenario it made far easier to cut off the contaminated areas and contain the damagers. Plus, in Kenzaburō's mind, it just further added to the "mad scientist" binge he'd been on since coming under Shido's employ. What better place to create an abomination than underground, in the bowls of hell?

Kenzaburō flipped on the lights revealing the empty control room and glass panel which Shido walked up to while Kenzaburō booted up the controls. Up close the tyrant took note of the twelve or so marks and cracks in the glass showing Project Kerberos had not been without its setbacks. The fact the glass screen hadn't been replaced or repaired was either a scene that Kenzaburō's time was either getting sloppy or they'd grown confident enough they had nothing to worry about.

Beyond the glass lay a baseball diamond-sized testing ground with blue line markings along with a number of dents and markings owing to the temperament of the beast about to be unleashed. Emerging from the ceiling was a cylinder-like object that hummed for a few seconds before lighting up sky-blue light that spread across the chamber painting it in a bluish-glow. A series of clicks and gears sounded from the direct opposite side where a five-foot double door loaded with electric locks lay. Green flashes lit up the padlocks followed by an alarm sounded atop the doors before they slid open.

Lumbering out of the darkness was arguably one of the largest Belgian Malinois he'd ever seen, clearly the canine had not lost any of its fearsome edge since being discharged from the United States Navy. Every step the beast took sounded like a metal beam falling to the ground while its growling, short bursts of aggression, would have been enough to chill the blood wildcats and give them pause before engaging the genetically modified beast. Almost instantly, the military dog zeroed in on Shido, flashing him a jawline full of sharpened teeth and brownish-orange eyes that held nothing but animalistic malice in them. As the guard dog came more and more into the spotlight the metal implants on its body became clearer as did the gleam of the chrome-colored collar around its neck.

"Do it." Shido commanded returning the beast's glare.

With the mere flipping of the switch the canine's demeanor changed completely going form one of contained rage to open fury and pain. Arcs of blue electricity exploded outwards from the metal implants as well as the color, which flashed a bright ruby-color. The whole thing was momentary as the dog seemed to steel its body and concentrate the mass of power running through its resulting in the lightning becoming fire, bright flames that enveloped the body and stretched skyward. Shido's eyes went wide behind his orange-tinted glasses as a shape emerged from the array of flames-another dog, this one far larger and obviously demonic. Three jaws lined with razor-like teeth snapped and tore at empty air while six eyes, all red as blood, scoured the room for the target before finally settling on Shido.

A trio of fireballs, each one the size of an automobiles, were expelled from the mouths of the hellhound and under normal circumstances would have exploded roasting Shido and Kenzaburō down to the bone. Instead, a blue-colored forcefield stopped the attacks cold and dispersed the flames sideways. Both the three-headed dog and its owner growled at the thwarted attack before another shock raced through its body. Before it manifested six holograms it furiously lunged at, tearing into them spilling their virtual guts across the energized room.

"Some fine-tuning is still needed, but by the first of December it should be up and ready to go." Kenzaburō proclaimed from his place at the control panel.

"Get it done by November twenty-fifth, I want this hound out and about, I want it tracking Akechi's scent and his body dragged back to me within the same week, understood?"

"…Yes sir,"

"You can bring him back half-dead, then nurse him back to health. Experiment on him all you want then I'm removing him, is that clear?"

Visibly, the old doctor's eyes rose as it seemed he had gotten through to the black-hearted tyrant. "Yes sir, I'll move up testing on Project Kerberos so it may meet the deadline you've set."

"Good, everything else comes secondary to getting this-" An audible bing sounded interrupting the possible Prime Minister. Reaching into his pocket he withdrew his phone and checked it for messages. His eyes widened and his lips formed into brief but villainous smile.

"So, which one was that? Terashima or Hikawa?"

"Hikawa, it appears I'm going to have to cut this visit short. I have to arrange a call with Komori for tomorrow. When you turn on the TV tomorrow morning you'll be finding that the Speaker of Representatives met with an unfortunate accident." Sliding the phone back into his pocket he headed for the door clearly intent on walking back in the way he came and finally leaving Kenzaburō to his devices.

All things considered, it would have been better if Kenzaburō kept his mouth shut. Alas, he was still on Shido's payroll thus whatever services he could provide he was duty-bound to give. "A moment, Mr. Shido." He didn't need to look back to know the glass-wearing maniac had stopped walking and he now had his attention. "If I may, I'd advise you to be cautious. You're playing a dangerous game where everyone has something to lose, and attempting to rush to victory or underestimating your opponents. Those before you made similar mistakes…and they paid for it, _**dearly**_."

Form Shido's body language he could tell he'd struck a nerve. Slowly Kenzaburō turned around, Shido still had his back to him, though from what he saw he could tell the man was torn between hitting him and screaming at him. Perhaps both at the same time.

Almost as visible as the canine's blazing aura was Shido's own aura of malice; it burned hotter and stronger than any ethereal flame produced by his artificial Persona-users and the promise of violence he emitted was far greater. Seconds passed, but eventually Shido turned to Kenzaburō. His face was one of barely contained rage and supreme arrogance. "Kandori knew next to nothing of the power he was playing with, and rather than use it responsibly he squandered it in favor of his own curiosity, and it doomed him. Tatsuzou also toyed with power he couldn't control, but was also surrounded by incompetence that masked his own unworthiness. I am neither incompetent nor am I willing to sit idly by while my enemies advance." Murderous fire burned behind the orange-tint of the tyrant's glasses, making them truly look like the eyes of a demon. In a man like Shido they couldn't have been more fitting. "Besides, I have something that neither of them had-I have the backing of God himself, how else would you explain my…good fortune so far?"

Silence greeted him. Not even the smacking of gums or chewing of lips were enough to get Kenzaburō to break face. Eventually, his mouth did move, and when it did the voice was clipped and controlled. "Yes…sir, whatever you say, Mr. Shido."

For a moment, it looked like another clash of wills was going to ensue. Shido seemed about to speak but chose not to, realizing it'd lead to another pointless standoff. With a huff, he turned on his heel and left finally leaving Kenzaburō to his lonesome. Hearing the doors click shut behind him the doctor let out a sigh of relief. A sudden bark alerted to him his unexpected guest. Turning, he found the guard dog staring at him with a look that could only be described as boredom.

"Yeah, you dislike him too, don't you, Cassio?" A quick bark was his answer. "Yes, yes, I know, but just a little longer. Hopefully once this new fiasco's over with we won't ever have to deal with him again."

Again, the dog yelped in agreement before dismissing its Persona and heading back inside of its lair. Seeing that, the ex-SEBAC researcher de-activated the generators keeping the energized field up thus "returning" the room to its proper state.

Reaching into his pocket Kenzaburō noticed he was down to his last stick of gum-lemon lime. "Shido…you claim you're walking a different path from Kandori and Tatsuzo, and yet standing here, I can see your end in sight already. The only question here is will you be joining them in hell before or _after_ the _true_ mastermind of this little show is revealed."

* * *

 _ **November 18**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 7:23 AM**_

 _ **Hashioka Household…**_

Goro was actually somewhat happy the rain had continued onwards to the next day. Turning over in his bed he watched the soft drizzle pelt the window and street beyond it. He hadn't read the forecast but a small part of him hoped the rain continued until he could sort out his thoughts. Most people would have preferred daylight, but Goro did his best thinking in the dark, maybe because it was his natural habitat. With the ever-present moisty curtain, he felt like he could keep his doubts and worries at bay until his mind was able to formulate a definite plan. Unfortunately, not even a second night's worth of sleep had been able to do that for him.

His legs hung over the bed while he cradled the phone that had been given to him the night before. Almost an hour had passed after his little breakdown before he was able to set it up, now it was all ready-a usable and dispensable smartphone.

When he turned it on he had no reaction to finding the Metaverse app sitting in the far left of the home screen. Goro's finger lingered on red and black-colored app, one quick motion and he'd be out of the real world and into the world of cognitive thought and fantastical imagination.

 _And then what?_ His logical side snapped.

He had no idea what sort of changes had been done to his Metaverse self since the bombing. Though he'd recovered most of his physical strength he had little to no backup supplies so if he was injured, that was the end of that, not to mention he had no support items such as a way to restore his magical energy or bombs. On top of all that, _what in the hell would he even be doing there?_ He had no goal in mind or clear-cut destination, all the brown-haired teen would be doing is wondering about aimlessly, and was dangerous onto itself.

Oh, and there was the possibility that lurking around Mementos was a dangerous ex-gangster with a grudge against him…who could apparently manifest a Persona in the real world.

Setting the phone aside he racked his hands through his hair at the realization he was still sitting at rock bottom. The question was, where did he even begin to look in order to crawl out?

He looked to the phone lying at his side. Goro's conversation with Jō last night returned to his mind causing him to tighten his hold on the sheets. After setting up the phone he toyed with the idea of calling Akira, Makoto…and even Sae. In the end he couldn't do it, he'd told himself it was going past midnight and there was a good chance they were fast asleep, not to mention Goro wanted to go to sleep himself. If he called any of them it'd devolve into a long discussion probably filled with a lot of screaming and words being thrown around, the memories of Leblanc were still fresh in his mind and he had no desire to repeat the scene. Lastly, the more he talked the greater the chance he'd wake up the Hashiokas, he didn't want to disrupt their sleep, especially Jō who just got in and was probably ready for bed.

So that left him here in the morning, still without a plan.

 _ **Is that so bad? Goro, you've pushed yourself extremely ragged for about two years, there's no shame in slowing down a little.**_

 _I've still got death hanging over my head._ Goro replied.

 _ **True, but you can always prolong your time of passing. Just look at us,**_ Chuckled Loki allowing his translucent back to touch his master's. _**Take it from Robby, live a little, the answer will come to you in time, sometimes when and where you least expect.**_

His hands falling into his lip Goro hung his head. _I…I don't think I can do that. I'm pretty sure I've…_ Goro's ears perked up hearing the soft footsteps. A tingle ran up his spine, bringing him a small bit of ease. Pushing away his darker thoughts he turned his head finding Shuya standing in the doorway.

"You're getting better." He answered.

"I heard you coming, believe it or not. You've got soft footsteps." Answered the older boy. "What's with that look on your face?"

Shuffling his feet, a little Shuya looked between Goro and the window, silently debating rather or not he should tell him. Seeing him rise from the bed and give the boy a steady look confirmed his need to hear the news. "There was another mental shutdown."

 _ **See, just sit and watch and fate will reward you.**_ Spoke Loki in his usual sugary voice while Goro's face darkened.

"I'll be down in a second."

Breakfast was on the table when he to down, Natsuo's plate was almost entirely cleaned off owing to her dressed up uniform. Jō was standing beside his niece still dressed in his pajamas and a noticeable five o'clock shadow on his face. In his head was a steaming hot cup of coffee in one hand while his other was in his pocket. The minute Goro came into his line of sight both men locked eyes; in that instant the teenager knew he'd have some explaining to do. He supposed it was only a matter of time.

As the report continued live from the hospital where said speaker had been sent Natsuo spun on her heel to face him. Held up in one of her hands with a pop tart with the crumbs sprinkled along the corner of her cheeks. "Hey, Akechi, you were investigating the mental shutdowns, weren't you?"

"No, I was in charge of the top-secret investigation regarding crocodiles devouring people then disappearing back into the sewers." His bravado was perhaps the only thing keeping his face together as behind it all his mind had begun racing with thoughts. He combed his mental library for where this newest hit would fit in and came up with the answer almost instantly. "Hirobumi,"

"Hiro-who?" Shuya popped up looking at him with worry.

"Shintaro Hirobumi," Natsuo answered giving the brown-haired Persona-user a sideways glance that put him on guard. "A senior member of the Japanese Diet, and according to some an earth-mover, as in he's able to get things done when he wants to. He's got connections with both the LDP and the DPFP along with a few in the CDP."

"And public backer of one Masayoshi Shido." Added Jō taking a sip of his coffee, headless of the sharp glare Goro shot his way.

Natsuo's attention was on him causing his body to tense-up. Briefly, he looked to Jō hoping the ex-criminal would save him with a swift show of words, but his hopes were crushed when he saw the hard look he was giving him. Arguably the only person who wasn't looking at him with some sort of scrutiny was Shuya, who seemed more worried about him than anything. Looking back at the TV he mental scowled at how attention suddenly turned to the Phantom Thieves as they were practically made the prime culprits. It was only natural after his setup, not to mention he recognized the station they were watching, ultimately Komori owned it. With that bastard in charge Goro could spend all morning flipping through every station and he'd find maybe one or two that _didn't_ bring up the Phantoms as primary culprits. Speaking of culprits, if Goro had to take a guess Terashima was behind this, it had to be him.

 _ **Goro, I do believe now would be an appropriate time for you to consider coming clean.**_ Robin jeered appearing at his side with his arms crossed.

 _What the hell makes you say that?_ Snapped back the teen.

 _ **You're caught in an optical deadlock, one of your caretakers has already deduced your bastard child status and the other two probably aren't far behind. Pardon my word, but you're an idiot thinking you can downplay any of this much longer.**_

Sometimes Goro hated when the blue-caped archer had him dead-to-right. Sighing in defeat, he moved towards his chair at the dinner table turning all eyes to him. Numerous times he'd contemplated how long he'd have until the time came for him to reveal himself, but never did he think it would be like this. Then again, compared to how things could have gone, he was probably lucky.

"Does Hirobumi have something to do with the mental shutdown? Did he arrange it?" Shuya asked now looking genuinely interested. Even if he didn't understand all that much about politics he understood power plays.

"Actually, yeah, he probably did." Goro answered shocking the boy and his sister, who began to choke on her food.

"W-Wait, seriously!? So there really is a government conspiracy going?!" Declared the orange-haired girl looking at him with wide-eyes.

"Yes, there's a-wait, a minute," Narrowing his eyes at his fellow teenager Goro did his best to make her squirm. It didn't work. "Why do you sound like you know some of this? In fact, from your reaction it sounds like you had a _feeling_ some of this stuff was going on."

"Hey, I told you, I'm in the journalism club, plus I go to some different sites to read different things. Helps my writing. This mental shutdown thing," She jabbed to the TV with her finger. "You wouldn't believe the theories running around over the internet. They're trying to push this on the Phantom Thieves, which makes a little bit of sense, but some people think its connected to that thing in Inaba a few years back." Taking another bite out of her pop-tart Natsuo took the seat across from him, a look of keen interest in her emerald eyes. "Alright, spill the beans, consider this paying your rent."

"I thought my company was payment enough for you." Shot back the assassin.

"Not quite good enough. You're cute, but not that cute."

"Ah, Natsuo, I'm hurt, here I was beginning to take such a liking to you then you go and say something heart-breaking like that. Have you no consideration for a wounded young man still in the throes of mental and physical recovery." Goro feinted.

Natsuo's grin was steadily going from unsettling to almost…admirable. "Ahhh, you poor baby, tell you what, let me in on the secret and I'll make it up to you."

"That's not much of a deal."

"It's as good as you're going to get."

"So, _this_ is what flirting looks like." Said Shuya in a monotone.

"F-F-F-F-Flirting?! What?!" Goro screamed practically jumping out of his seat and his skin. A crimson blush rose across his face as he looked from the bored-looking boy to the coffee-sipping uncle back to the girl across from him. She'd hardly reacted to her brother's statement, and that made Goro more off-set. "M-M-Me, flirting around with her?!"

"Hey, for the record I've got some nice tits, legs, and a pretty cute ass, not to mention I'm able to go blow for blow with your smart mouth." Proclaimed the fiery-haired girl giving him a rather flirty smirk.

"Are you putting down my niece, Akechi?" Jō called with a sharp eye aimed in Goro's direction.

"N-N-N-N-No, I-I-I-I just, I-I mean that's not what I…I…" Stammered the red-eyed boy feeling like he was suspended over a vat of boiling oil. Finally, he turned to Shuya, practically accusing the boy of tying the rope around him and suspending him. His usual drool stare slowly melted into a Cheshire smile that had Goro fighting the urge to strangle the boy.

 _ **You know, I'm starting to like this kid.**_ Laughed Loki as Goro contemplated taking his dinner and eating it back in his room, curtesy be damned.

After a moment or two he sighed and inhaled through his nose. "Do you want an answer to your question or do you want to keep this little comedy going? I'd like to eat breakfast and I'm sure you've got school to worry about."

"Eh, I can handle being late, this right here, is worth the lecture. I can feel it."

 _She's a go-getter, I'll give her that much._ Thought the detective somewhat impressed with the way Natsuo was leaning on him. "Alright, don't say I didn't warn any of you. The mastermind behind the mental shutdowns is…Masayoshi Shido…my…my…" His mouth had turned to sandpaper and his heart had become a lone drum in front of a stage of thousands. Every bit seemed to echo for eternity. Desperate, he looked around the kitchen before finally locking eyes with Jō. Again, sympathy twinkled in his dark-brown orbs silently telling him he had nothing to fear. Having nothing else to go on, he decided to go off of that. "Shido is the mastermind of the mental shutdowns…and he's my…he's my biological father."

Right around now he wouldn't have minded a dramatic clap of thunder to sound. Cliché as it might have been, it certainly fit the tone.

"Heh," Natsuo said falling back into her chair. "That explains the venomous glare."

"…Huh?"

"The glare." She repeated still nibbling on her pop-tart as if…as if…as if he hadn't told her a secret many would have killed for. No, looking closer he saw her lips twitching, her chewing growing faster and her mental gears working into overtime. She was hiding the shock well. Catching his deductive glance, she realized she still had some explaining to do. "What I mean is around the internet there's some pictures of Shido when he's not being the nice-guy the cameras can't get enough of. Trust me, they aren't pretty, but I knew I'd seen your sour look somewhere before."

His face fell realizing that was another thing he shared in common with his father.

"B-But that's just about it! F-From where I'm standing, you must take after your mom cause you're nowhere near as toolish as he is!" Natsuo immediately said realizing she'd hit a nerve too close to home. "S-Sorry, I-I'm not trying to drudge up any bad memories."

"You're going to do that regardless, so don't worry about it." Goro answered leaning back into his seat. He felt oddly…free, uplifted almost. His first big secret was now common knowledge to the Hashiokas, who seemingly were taking it rather well. Now the question was, how would they handle the second? A fuzzy voice in the back of his head told him he didn't have to go that far, but Goro knew better. He'd worked up the courage to get one big secret out, he might as well get the other out with all three of them here or else he'd never be able to. "There's more, you know all those…mental shutdowns, well, most of them, I…I…I'm the one responsible."

Out of instinct he shut his eyes and braced for the tidal wave.

A second passed, and then another, and another, and another.

Reluctantly, the brown-haired boy opened his eyes not sure what he was going to find. Natsuo was staring at him, though her eyes were considerable wider than usual. She…didn't appear angry, just stunned. Same thing with Shuya. Slowly, he looked to the oldest member of the house; Jō was looking at him with skepticism that was completely warranted. He didn't seem as phased as Goro was expecting, matter of fact, he recognized the look and mood of the man. His guesses had just been confirmed.

Now completely flabbergasted the rogue teen looked between all three members of the family. "You…you…how come none of you are screaming or scared?"

Natsuo and Shuya looked to each other then back to their uncle. Seeing his turn had come, Jō took several steps forward, setting his coffee cup down atop the table. Folding his arms across his chest he looked to Goro with a passive look on his face.

"Think hard, I had some surgery done, but if you've seen my file than you should be able to recognize me if you're really a great detective."

Doing as instructed he focused in on black and gray-haired man. The nagging feeling in his gut returned as his eyes examined every trace of his face and body hoping for something that could clue him in. He was hoping he could do it without having to ask Jō to shed his shirt so he could see his back. Sitting up a little straighter Goro narrowed his eyes, second by second the details began to connect. Within his head a little black bird ran to his center mind with the file, and upon opening it he mentally screamed.

Goro's confusion melted into a straight line with a set of wide-eyes. In simplest terms, he looked like a deer in headlights. "Jo…Josuke Shishido, top hitman of the Rokuhara Clan, professional hitman, contract killer. Believed to be responsible for the deaths of over fifty people, two-thirds fellow yakuza, but almost as many "business" targets. You were arrested in 2009 for several counts of murder and attempted murder, though a strong case was built it was ultimately dropped do to what was believed to be several backroom deals and arms-twisting. The most likely of which was the giving up of Hachiro Sada, head of the Matsurino Syndicate who it is believed you carried out several assassinations for. It is believed by giving him up you were spared what was going to be either life imprisonment or a death sentence. Even so, your name has gone down in the analogues of both police and organized crime as one of the most proficient hitmen in all of Japan. You're even wanted for questioning by the American FBI, Scotland Yard, and Hong Kong Police."

It was like all the air had left the house leaving the question of what were the inhabitants breathing. The Hashioka siblings were now the uncomfortable ones as Goro steadily attempted to come to grips with the fact the man across from him, who'd help take him in was an international hitman wanted by law enforcement worldwide. It all felt rather…surreal.

Natsuo figured she had to break the ice before someone or something was lost. Or Goro made a dive for his phone. "Ahem, yeah, so…um, Goro, can I call you Goro?"

"…Y-Y…Yes."

"Alright, so Goro," she gestured to her uncle. "Bullet to the head," then back to him. "Bullet to the brain, sorta peaches to oranges for us."

"You're…not gonna turn him in, are you?"

It…actually hurt looking to Shuya and seeing him scared of him. Goro realized for his entire stay Shuya had been amazingly passive and benign, accepting every curveball he'd thrown, but this was it. He didn't bait an eye when he learned Goro was a bastard child or mental assassin, but now armed with the revelation about his dear uncle, he was terrified of him.

If he wanted to, he could turn in Jō to boost his own reputation depriving the siblings of their only parental figure.

And the thought absolutely disgusted Goro to his core, so much so he wanted to slap himself for even having it.

Turning around in his seat, he gave Shuya the calmest most assured smile he could give. "I won't, I promise." Looking back to all of them he gave them the most confident look he could muster. "You have my word your secret's safe with me, besides," he added looking at the veteran assassin. "I turn you in, you'll just rat me out as Shido's kid and murderer so I'm pretty much stuck."

First was Natsuo, then Shuya's worry-laced frown turned into a snicker, and finally Jō himself. Goro looked between the three then joined in the laughter as well. Back in the living room the fire and brimstone condemnation of the Phantom Thieves had been forgotten and buried.

"Alright, alright," Declared the fiery-haired girl wiping away the crumbs of her breakfast snack. "Now that that's out of the way, Goro, tell us the whole story! Don't you dare leave out any-"

"Natsuo, school." Jō cut off reaching for his coffee.

"B-But, we've got an active assassin sitting right here! The up incoming prime minister's bastard son, no offense, who's willing to tell us the whole story!"

"I never said that." Goro growled.

"Too bad, that's going to be your rent." The Persona-user's eyes twitched though Natsuo either didn't notice or didn't care. "You can't just pull me away from a story like this!"

"I'm sitting right here!" Shouted said story.

"He'll be here when you get back from school. Just be patient until then." Affirmed the older man with a roll of his eyes.

As Goro stood there gaping the girl with hair the color of fire and eyes of emerald stood up from her seat with a pout on her face. "Fine, so long as he's still here I guess I can get through the day." Quick as a viper she turned to Goro, jabbing her finger at him she said, "Remember, you owe me a story, and I'm getting it even if I have to tie you up and tickle torture you."

"You realize I've killed people, haven't you?"

"And I've lived with a trained killer for five years. What makes you think I can't kick your ass in a fight?"

"Oh, trust me, I've got combat experience you can only dream of." He fired back with a dark glint in his eyes.

Natsuo was not impressed. "And I've been taught to fight dirty, so we'll just have to-"

"Listen you two, just promise me you'll use protection." Groaned the retired professional.

"JŌ!"

"Well, you two do keep tip-toing around each other. Are you getting over that guy who drove you crazy?" Shuya interjected.

The brown-haired teen racked his hands through his hair in what appeared to be a mental breakdown while Natsuo simply huffed and went to grab her bag. Preforming a quick check to make sure she had everything inside she headed for the door and was about to turn the knob when a voice cut her off.

"Natsuo, wait!"

Turning, she was shocked to find Goro looking…nervous, fidgety almost. Leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed she gave him a look that asked him to elaborate with what little time they had left.

"Those…those sites you talked about, I…I need your help." He said as if he were out of breath. Clearly, he wasn't used to asking for help. "I-I mean, i-in exchange for telling you my story I…I need you to research some things for me. It's…it's connected to the case, to why I-"

"Done, have fun with Uncle Jō, Goro!" Flashing him a grin and a wink she swung the door open and slammed it shut upon her exiting leaving a bewildered Goro standing in the doorway.

From his place in the kitchen Jō chuckled then went to refill his coffee mug. Shuya, knowing it was high-time for him to get ready for school as well decided to console his newfound friend one last time.

"Your sister's…quite a handful." Stated the runaway detective looking truly lost as he stared at the door. Without a doubt, Natsuo Hashioka was unlike any girl he'd ever met, hell, she could give Futaba a run for her money.

"She is, isn't she. Our parents always said she got her hair because she's the spirited one of the family. So, you two have a date after school, don't hurt my sister." Truly the two males were back to their usual pattern as Goro turned on the boy and Shuya gave his usual dry stare. "If you two are gonna be working together, there's something you need to know about her."

Leaning downwards the older boy lent his ear to the sage-green eyed youngster. As his words registered in his brain Goro's dark red orbs flew wide open for the second time that morning. " _She's a what?_!"

* * *

 **Yes, yes I know, I'm an evil bastard for ending on a total cliffhanger, but I felt enough was done this chapter. I plan on Goro's interactions with Natsuo being just about an entire chapter's worth so I had to cut things off at some point.**

 **Sorry if the Shido/Kenzaburō bit dragged on a little longer than anyone would have liked, but I had to show that Shido's not just twiddling his thumbs while his enemies are out there. Personally the entire scene and concept really was born from examining Wakabe's role in P5's story and realizing she might have based her work on earlier research done, and I** _ **DO NOT**_ **mean just Persona 3 with the Kirijo Group. I actually found Persona 5 has a lot in common with Persona Revelations and Persona 2, Revelations especially since it was the first game to present the idea of diving into another person's mind and changing them from within, plus Akechi and Shido's archetypes originate from the first game in the series.**

 **Another reason is because of practicality. In Persona 5 Shido and his associates learned of the Metaverse and how to use it for their own ends giving them near unlimited power. Except that power becomes unusable if you kill off your only henchman who can access the Metaverse. No power-loving tyrant is going to give that up so the solution becomes find others with similar powers, or find a way to make more, weaker but loyal agents. That's where Kenzaburō comes in. Based on the dialogue and hints it should be clear where he's been and what he's seen, but over the story his character will be fleshed out as well. I also hope I made how he feels about Shido clear enough.**

 **So there's the second big reveal about Jō, and partial explanation why the Hashiokas have been so hospitable to Akechi. Jō's name and character are based off of Joe Shishido, a Japanese actor who's starred in several rather intense (and eccentric) yakuza films. He's the "positive" reflection of what Goro could and possibly should strive to be thus forming the basis of their Confidant story-line. For a canon-comparison, he's Akechi's Sojiro, albeit one with a slightly…darker outlook on life given what he's seen and done.**

 **Next chapter will be Akechi spending some time with his Sun Arcana and finding just maybe the moon and a bar full of ex-gangster are preferable to the blazing hot sun. Until then everyone!**


	14. Chapter 13-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt6

**I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 13-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt. 6**

 _ **Cloud Eight,**_ _ **November 18**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 9:29 AM…**_

The limbo that existed between frustration and annoyance was a small one as Goro had discovered. He'd first gotten his true test of it when he began working with the police department on cases, when he found even his otherworldly powers could only carry him so far. Coming in frustrated and leaving frustrated, it'd always left him mentally biting his lips because he felt like he could have done more. As per usual though, it wasn't up to him.

Focusing on school work was hard on days like that and cleanup at a bar should have been worse.

Except somehow, Goro felt a bit calmer doing the latter. Matter of fact, bit by bit he'd gotten used to the seedy hangout and come to find it almost enjoyable. It wasn't Leblanc, but perhaps that was the point. Leblanc was…it was Akira's place, not his. Besides, he fit in better here with the tattooed, scarred, and ominous-looking patrons and workers of Cloud Eight. Hell, a few of them had begun to take a bit of a liking to him as evident by sideways grins, smirks, and help they directed his way. Even if the face he was showing them was false a part of him felt glad they thought no more of him than just another person who assimilated into their workplace like them.

 _Am I really different from any of these people though?_ The question had floated in the back of his mind, but it wasn't until Jō dropped his bombshell reveal did Goro truly begin to give it some thought. Speaking of Jō, he couldn't help but look at the man in a new more favorable light.

He worked so smoothly, gave out instructions and advice as easily as an officer in an army. Though his time at Cloud Eight had been short he'd observed what he could, and what he found was that Jō was the unspoken leader of this club, or at least during the daytime hours. It reminded him of Akira, and yet unlike Akira Goro knew the man possessed a real element of danger. It stayed his hand and his mouth yet excited his heart and made it nearly impossibly for him to focus on the cleanup task at hand. Which itself was beginning to wear on his nerves.

"Exactly what the hell happened last night?" He muttered taking hold of a garbage bag with the intention of carrying it.

"Even though you're not exactly old enough for that kind of stuff, I'll give you a hint, it was a busy night."

"Gee, Takanobu-san, that's real informative."

"Hey, I'm just trying to protect what's left of your innocence."

At this point Goro didn't think he had any innocence left in him, it'd been rooted out either by his hand or by reality's. Of course, there was probably only person who knew that and he was busy working his but off int the building. That left Goro to work with his "old friend", Takanobu. Maybe two or three years younger than Jō himself, and if he had to guess he was a gangster as well; however, something in Goro's gut told him the man wasn't retired like his patron.

"Hey, Souta, exactly what happened that caused you to end up here? Not to be rude, but given all the crazy things happening in this town I think I'm starting to get a little paranoid regarding who walks in the door.

Questions had been inevitable. As much as Goro would have liked to remain private and isolated Jō told him once he started making small-talk with the bar workers he'd need a cover story beyond what he'd given him. "Well, my…I'm not actually from Tokyo, I'm from Okazaki, my dad…did some stupid things and got my family wrapped up in some stupid shit. S-Shinoda-san was an old friend of my mom's so she contacted him for help, you can say we're hiding out for a while." It hadn't been a lie he told Takanobu, nor had it been a total lie he'd told the Hashiokas.

Of the few bits of information he knew about his grandparents it was that they lived in Okazaki.

And as far as his mother was concerned Goro was never going to set foot in that place, let alone visit them.

"Ah, I see," The story placated the gray-eyed man who went back through the backdoor to for their next haul.

Glancing upward, Goro saw the light drizzle that had begun earlier was beginning to pick up in intensity. He'd checked the forecast and found it was going to be raining for the next couple of days. What would happen when the rain ended?

When Takanobu came back carrying two bags Goro almost greedily took hold of them and threw them into the dumpster. "Um, Takanobu-san, can I…ask you a question?"

"Shoot, kiddo."

Pushing aside his annoyance at being called kiddo the brown-haired teen attempted to maintain an air of composure. "You said some…strange things have been happening around Tokyo, you don't just mean the mental shutdowns, do you?"

He prayed he hadn't lost his touch as Takanobu studied him with his dark brown eyes. What he'd successfully down for years on end before had suddenly become a struggle for him. It seemed in opening himself up he'd had to relinquish a bit of his darker side in return. Goro honestly didn't know how to feel about that.

"Well, yeah, you said your dad crossed the wrong people, he did it at one of the worst possible times." In saying those words Goro breathed an invisible sigh of relief. Not only had he dodged a bullet but he was about to get another piece of the puzzle, hopefully. Takanobu crossed his arms and leaned against the frame of the door, a dark look forming in his eyes. "Look, I don't wanna scare you since you've probably got enough to worry about, but you oughta know since you're slugging it out here with us. There's been some weird shit happening around Tokyo, and I mean just about all of it. Guys are disappearing, from the streets _and_ from prisons. Over the last year or so there's been a few odd deaths too along with the mental shutdowns. Word is it's not random."

"You mean you think someone's targeting them?"

"Maybe, tell me, thug number one gets knocked off or shipped off to a mental asylum and his lieutenant steps up and proceeds to run the show conveniently the way he wants to. Problem is, there's no evidence so no one can do much of anything without making a scene. It's gotten people pissed off and paranoid."

That confirmed it, Goro hadn't been Shido's only assassin. Terashima was most definitely involved and had been for a while. Destabilizing power structures wasn't something he did because he was good at it, he did it for the fun of it. _But how come I never noticed it? How could I have missed it?_

 _ **Goro, I don't wanna burst your bubble, but let's recap: we're talking about a convicted murder looking at the death penalty. You already know Shido has his pockets in the justice system, one person in particular should come to your mind.**_

"Hey, Souta, you okay? I didn't break you, did I?"

"N-No, n-no, I'm just…sorry, my mind's just a little scatter-brained at the moment." His lips were twitching in an attempt to keep the rage, the sadness, and most of all, the illogical sense of _betrayal_ contained. It'd be a while before he could find a quiet place to let off steam, but until then he had a mask he had to keep in place.

When he returned back inside Goro felt an almost impulsive desire to call Natsuo and get her working on his case. The urges were growing by the day and he needed to do something about it. Even if it was a long-shot whatever info the girl seemed to have could be of help to him.

Once her existence re-entered his mind it dawned on Goro he still had no idea what he was getting himself into with the girl. She was…she was…

"Souta,"

Interrupted by the voice Goro pushed away his thoughts of the flame-haired girl and turned back to face his unlikely guardian. Perhaps more than Natsuo or Shuya Jō was the one whose existence left him at a crossroads. He'd seen so easily through him and put the pieces together in such short order. Really, his deductive abilities eclipsed anything Goro could have managed.

"It's lunch time." He simply said directing him towards a table, arguably the same one they'd sat at before. It seems that spot had become their own private little corner.

"How did you know?" Goro blurted out in a hushed voice.

"A few things, but most of all it was like looking in a mirror for me." Came his nonchalant response. Patiently, the teenager waited at the table until he returned carrying a plat of full of tacos. To the young assassin's embarrassment his stomach audible growled once his nose caught the sweet scent of the freshly-prepared meal. "I see someone's become a fan."

Furthering his embarrassment, the other workers, including Shibata himself, heard his stomach and gave hearty laughs. Crimson colored Goro's cheeks as he shrunk back in his seat feeling his wig and contacts become more constricting than they were before. The graying-haired bar tender walked over to their table and deposited two drinks: a glass of orange juice for Goro and beer for Jō.

"Hey, no shame in admitting when you've got an empty stomach. Trust us, while we're working our buts off here ours are going off almost twenty-four-seven. More than a few of these idiots around her are just to either skip breakfast or forget."

"Yep, including this old cook here. He gets his meal time watching us work ourselves to the bone." Jō chuckled.

"I can understand that, actually." Stated the teenager.

Both men looked at each then burst into joint laughter. Seeing the display Goro couldn't help but laugh himself. Unlike most of the times at the police station this was honest.

"Well then," Said Shibata patting the Persona-user on the shoulder. "You're ready to head into the workforce. Play your cards right and one day you'll learn the secret, and when you do sit back and gorge yourself."

"Shibata, don't corrupt the boy."

"Right, I'll leave that to you."

Alone once more Goro leaned back in his seat and stared at the hazel-eyed veteran hitman. "Old friend of yours?"

"Yep, he was a lieutenant for the Fukui Syndicate, after a long and colorful life he decided to retire and open this place to problem cases like you and me." Taking a sip of his beer he fixed Goro with a lax stare that both unwound his nerves yet had him squirming a little in his seat. "The other day when you were watching Shido, the look on your face, your struggle to contain the rage. I've been there before."

"…How'd you stand it?" Whispered the red-eyed teen feeling his shoulders slack.

"…By making a lot of decisions, decisions some would say were wrong or I should regret. Some of them I do, some of them I don't. After a while though, I realized I had to stop trying to win my father's love, especially when I already had people who cared enough about me."

"Sounds fortunate." It came out worse than he'd intended, but thankfully Jō let it slide, maybe he knew where Goro was coming from. "You know I'm dangerous to be around."

"So am I, I can't tell you the number of people that cut contact with me when they found out what I really was. Some of them did it without much problem, others not so much."

"Again, it sounds like you've led a colorful life."

"I could say the same about you."

Their eyes met and in that instant Goro knew he finally had someone he could talk to. This was different from Akira, Akira knew what it felt like to be an outsider…but Jō knew what it felt like to be "evil". By all rights, the first thing he should have done was call the police and alert them that a wanted murder and criminal such as him was walking out and about. That would have been the "right thing" to do.

Goro had long since lost any delusions that he was a good person. From the looks of things so too had Jō.

"So, the bombing, was it an attempt to silence you before you could rat on Shido? Were you going to?" Inquired the veteran hitman keeping his voice quiet enough it barely registered over the blare of the others, who were all too busy watching TV to take note of the boy and adult in the back. Either that, or they'd learned when the ex-assassin brought someone to this table anything that was said stayed there.

"I…it's complicated." Biting into his tacos he almost wished there was an easy way to explain it all. His paranoia remained despite the sense of safety and trust Jō seemed able to install within him. "I was going to, but I…think Shido caught wind of me too early. I was too slow."

Jō leered at him with ice-cold eyes he returned with equal intensity. No longer were they talking as civilians or guest and patron, now they were killers. "Then next time you'll just have to be faster."

The words were spoken so freely that Goro admittedly did a double-take hearing them. Stunned, he sat there with a half-eaten taco in his hands staring at his older and apparently wiser counterpart.

Wiping his lips with a napkin the ever-calm man pointed to Goro's chest. "What are you doing now?"

"…Eating?"

"…Your mark failed to silence you, what are you doing now?"

It took a moment but the dark-haired man's words eventually sunk in. His right hand fell over his heart and his ears opened up to the steady rhythm of the organ. Two nights ago, it'd been roaring like a battleship cannon, and now it was tranquil unlike his mind. But that too was getting there. "I'm planning."

"What are you going to do with Natsuo?" He followed up with a thin smile.

"Figure out a way to get my target." Answered the younger of the two.

"Good, if you answered with something else I would have had to take you out back and kick your ass." Both males laughed as despite full knowledge the threat was more than likely true, which in Goro's case made it all the funnier. As assassin's flirting with danger was all but guaranteed, and learning to enjoy it from time to time was how they managed to function. "You may have startled your prey, but Shido failed to get you when he had the chance. That's going to be a fatal mistake, isn't it?"

Goro had never toasted with anyone in his life, not even his mother. Granted, when she was alive they didn't have a lot of things to toast about. One could have said his first toast being over him planning on ruining another person's life was cause for concern. That said, given who the person in question was he liked to think this was a special occasion.

"It will be." He said lifting up his glass.

* * *

 _ **3:06 PM…**_

"Yo! Souta! It's time for you to pay your rent!"

Goro nearly dropped the glass cups he'd bene polishing when he heard Natsuo's voice. Slack-jawed he looked to the door silently wishing it was his imagination, but his fears proved founded as standing there, an umbrella slung over her shoulder and grinning like a fool stood Natsuo Hashioka. He waited for someone to reprimand her, to call her out, but nobody did. Glancing around at his fellow workers he found many of them _laughing,_ smirking at the girl's bombastic introduction.

"Yeah, I guess Jō forgot to tell you, she's a regular here." Grabbing the glass cup before he could drop it Shibata flagged the orange-haired girl down with his other hand. "Have fun on your date."

"It's not a date."

"She said it's time for you to pay your rent." Shibata responded innocently.

"And that's the first thing your mind jumped to?!" Snapped the teenage hitman.

The old bartender shrugged. "Hey, back in my day owing someone was serious business. You never knew who you were making deals with, and I see you were stupid enough to make a deal with a she-devil."

 _ **He has you there, unfortunately.**_ Said Robin, though from the sound of his voice Goro felt the archer wasn't feeling too sorry for him. Like his fellow workers he sounded almost amused.

Scratch that, he probably was as Goro could hear Loki's gleefully laughter in the background of his head. _Is my life a show for you two to watch and comment on as soon as something weird or embarrassing happens?!_

 _ **Comes with the contract.**_ Both Personas stated in near perfect unison.

Hanging his arms out Goro felt his head fall into a slump. The counter looked rather comforting as his legs seemingly lost all feeling in them. _Why the hell did I get out of bed? Why couldn't I have just stayed in, called Akira, and freed myself of this insanity?_

Marching up behind the counter Natsuo slapped the back of the downtrodden Persona-user. "You guys didn't work him too hard, did ya?"

"Oh, nothing he couldn't handle. This boy's a keeper." Said boy looked like completely zoned out as Natsuo poked him on the neck and arms yet got no reaction. Getting an idea, the girl leered at him with a cheeky smile. Knowing what was in store Shibata shrugged his shoulders giving her the go ahead.

Releasing a defeated sigh, the brown-haired youth prepared to straighten up. "I guess the saying is true, be careful what you-ahhhh!"

In that moment, almost all of Cloud Eight erupted into joyful laughter as all eyes turned to the scene behind the bar counter. Water dripped from the fake black hair and his apron. Jō, having just returned from the restaurant had a prime set to the show, and he too joined in the laughter seeing it.

"Why the hell did you do that?" Roared Goro looking at the snickering girl with furious eyes.

"You were ignoring me, I don't like being ignored." Natsuo giggled.

"It's true, Natsuo doesn't like being ignored or shown up. Best remember that in the future." Shibata paused for a second so his words could sink in. "Or your anniversary, trust me, don't forget your anniversaries."

"Screw all of you." The younger male snarled reaching for the napkins and towels.

"Actually, that's what she's going to be doing to you over the next couple of hours. Souta, head into the back room so you can change then you two can be on your way." Jō offered having got his laughter under control.

Grumbling curses in his native tongue and even a little in Chinese the disguised boy marched through the lobby, an almost literal dark cloud hovering above his head. Seconds later when he came back dressed in his civilian clothes. The dark cloud remained though the moisture that covered his fake-hair, face, and neck were gone. Standing before him wearing an absolutely cheeky grin was Natsuo. Seeing her smile Goro wondered if he was better off going in alone.

 _ **Is that not how you ended up in this situation to start with?**_

 _Shut up, Robin._

"Alright then," Began the veteran hitman standing before his niece and younger counterpart. "It's going to be another busy night since a certain party has rented out almost half the bar. I'm probably not going to get back until late into the night so don't wait up on me. So long as the house isn't burned down go wild…"

"Got it!"

"Can we please just go now?"

As if his words were the key turning the gears Jō looked to Goro with one of the sternest looks he'd ever been given. "Remember our talk this morning, protection."

"Can we please just go now?!" Whined the young hitman close to tearing off his wig and contacts out of sheer frustration.

Natsuo waved goodbye to the bar-workers, many of which returned the gesture in kind while the still disguised Goro quietly sulked. Just as quickly as the flame-haired girl came in she was gone taking the young hitman with her.

Laying his hands flat against the table Shibata turned to his friend of twenty-eight long years. The face had changed from when he'd known Jō, but the look in his eyes remained the same. He knew what was running through his mind and decided to voice his thoughts. "How deep is the kid?"

"Up to his knees, approaching waist-level." Jō answered in a monotone. "He's got promise,"

"So, you're getting back into the game, eh, Jō?" Leered the older gangster.

"Not quite," he answered with a shrug. "Maybe coaching is a better term."

* * *

 _ **Hashioka Household, 3:35 PM…**_

The minute he was back Goro threw off his wig and began to pry at his eyes to remove his contacts. At firs tit was all bearable, now not so much. Or maybe that was just due to Natsuo, she seemed to possess the same power as Akira-the ability to drive him up the wall and keep him there.

"Here,"

Peering through the gaps in his fingers he saw Natsuo holding a out a washrag to him. In spite of his previous annoyance with her he acceptance and grunted out a thanks in response. While he whipping his face, he heard the sound of the refrigerator opening and a soda can being opened. Finally opening his eyes, he saw a soda can being offered to him and graciously took it, this time without much of a fuss. As he drank he watched Natsuo out of the corner of his eye. She was gathering up potato chips and drinks in her arms. Once she was finished she exited the kitchen and hurried up the stairs to her room.

"You coming?" She called having completely disappeared from his view.

"I'm trying to be the gentleman here." Muttered the brown-haired teen looking away.

"Then I, Natsuo Hashioka, hereby invite you into my room. Not get your skinny little ass in here!"

Wrinkling his nose a little Goro followed her. Since his…arrival he'd confined himself to his room, the bathroom, kitchen, and no where else. Call it curiosity, call it paranoia, whatever it was it'd stayed his hand long enough so now he let his curiosity run a little wild. In what felt like a flash he spotted the cracked door he theorized was Natsuo's.

 _ **For the record, we're proud of you.**_ Loki offered.

At this, Goro raised a mental eyebrow. _Why's that?_

 _ **W-W-Well, y-you see, Goro, we're glad you're finally-**_

 _ **Robby and I were worried you were going to kick the bucket before you so much as got a girl to touch you. Now here you are about to go into her room. Ah, you've grown up so fast!**_

For a minute Goro toyed with the idea of bashing his head against the wall. The head injury would have been worth it if it didn't make him look like a bigger fool in front of Natsuo, who'd surely investigate. Sucking in a breath for strength he walked the short hallway and pushed open the cracked door. Almost immediately his drink fell from his hand as his eyes took in the details of the room.

"GAHHH!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Please don't mind the mess, I decided to do a little writing this morning before I left and just forgot to put some things back up." Natsuo proclaimed. "Listen, I did some thinking while I was at school. I told you there was talk on the net Shido wasn't the saint he's cracked up to be, and since you're not I guess I can now put s stamp of approval on most of them. Except some of the crazy ones, I'm gonna need you to confirm those."

"…"

"Since you're a hitman like Uncle Jō I'm assuming you've seen some shit so you shouldn't be too squeamish."

"…"

"…Where's the snappy remark, or the rapid hounding for me to get started?" Asked the seventeen-year-old girl swinging her chair about with her arms crossed in annoyance.

Goro Akechi stood in the doorway of her room, stunned and silent like a deer caught in the gaze of a wolf. His legs were locked in as were his shoulders and arms, the soda can in his hand being held with a near vice-like grip. The only part of him that was moving were his eyes. Those dark red eyes were scouring every corner of the room like a horror movie victim.

First there were the posters, three in total and all hard to miss. The first one he noticed stared directly back at him from across the room, the large near cartoonish-eyes of the spiky-haired figure and its compatriots staring back at him like aliens. Right beside that poster, just a little to the right at a lower position stared back at him the movie poster, perfectly framed and preserved no doubt in the same condition in which it had been bought. Lastly, glancing to his left above a forty-three-inch TV he spotted the last poster. It wasn't as horrid as the other two, no the samurai-like warrior was standing back-to-back with a dinosaur-helmeted fighter clothed in red. The poster was both heartwarming and somewhat aggravating to look at, for what it represented Goro supposed he could let it slid.

Unfortunately, he was better off keeping his gaze on the posters for after he was finished with them he looked around the rest of the room. The figurines were like his, but rather than being of multi-colored heroes they were in trios, and fighting against each other. Lying on the several bookshelves and the dresser were those _horrid, evil, OVERLY COMPLEX_ belts.

To Goro's disgust he recognized a few of them: the WizaDriver, the Fourze Driver, V-Buckle, Faiz Driver, Kivat Belt, Ixa Belt, Decadriver, Diendriver, Double Driver, Accel Driver, Sengoku Driver, Drive Driver, and OOO Driver.

It got worse with the last one. Perfectly framed and preserved in a glass case sat all of them-the Core Medals. True care had been applied to maintain the coins; glancing over the colored set, fighting the urge to reach out and touch them Goro silent realized he and Natsuo actually had something in common. She too was a collector, and a true fan.

There were other collectibles that were proudly on display-the Gaia Memories, Rider Decks, Astro Switches, Lock Seeds, and those ridiculous Shift Cars. It wasn't a whole set, but it was enough to know Natsuo heavily favored Drive since she had most of the popular or main-stay attachments.

Sadly, the horror did not stop there. Oh no, it was just beginning. He had a gut feeling Natsuo liked books and he was right. At least four bookshelves, all filled to the brim with books of all shapes and sizes.

Including the light novels, even the ones that weren't even canon.

He didn't dare step closer to them for fear of tainting himself. The bookshelves might as well have been nuclear reactors seconds from going into meltdown, hell, the entire room suddenly felt like Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Instinctively, he wanted to run to Shuya's room, something told him if the older Hashioka's room was hell his had to be heaven by default, if not then Goro knew he was screwed six ways from Sunday.

Attempting to clear his mind Goro looked upward to the ceiling and there he found something even worse waiting for him.

"Got to keep it real", spelled out in bright green English letters. At first, Goro would have liked to believe Shuya had been the one to paint it on the ceiling, but something in his gut told him it had been Natsuo's hand behind the brush. Call it a hunch.

After what seemed like an eternity in horrific, silent contemplation he finally turned to look at the room's owner. Her arms were crossed and annoyance on her face. "S-So…Shuya was…telling the truth."

Immediately, the older sister's eyebrow was raised. "Truth about what?"

"That you're a…you're…you're a _Kamen Rider fan_." Hissed the young hitman.

"What? Yeah, I'm a Kamen Rider fan so-ahh," The anger dispersed and was replaced with an almost ice-like calm. She leaned back in her chair with a cool smirk growing on her face. "I take it that means you're…Sentai fan?" The boy nodded slowly then glanced around the room again as if it were possibly laden with traps. Natsuo laughed, "Oh, what's wrong little ranger, sacred to step into the rider's den? Don't worry, they won't bite."

Settling his eyes on her, he hissed again. "Don't patronize me. I've faced worse than this…this…lair of abominations."

"Then how come you're standing there in the doorway like a sacred little puppy?" Natsuo challenged crossing her left leg over her right. "If it makes you feel better I'll unhook my laptop and we can do this downstairs in the living room, that way you won't have to get any rider taint on your pretty little face."

His face was seconds away from turning red and his mouth a fraction of a second away from screaming. Just barely getting his emotions under control he took the first step into the room of travesty, avoiding the instinctive wince with every step. At the very least the room was clean.

"Huh-huh, not that we're pass that, shall we get started? Pull up one of the bean-bag chairs."

"I…"

"What is it now?"

"Nothing, never mind." He'd never sat in a bean-bag chair, not when he was with Akira and the others. It just…it just wasn't something he did. Even with them he still tried to maintain an image of composure. Not to mention it brought back too many memories. Sighing, he walked over to her bed, where two colored sacks had been pushed up, he picked the red-colored one. Upon sitting down, he was caught off guard by the…everything really. "I never thought I'd be in this situation."

"That happens, it's called life." Stated the girl already furiously typing away on her computer. Directing his eyes to screen he found a multitude of pages had been blown up. With a decisive click she left the current page up then walked over to her dresser where her school bag had been tossed. "Like I said, there was some stuff floating around the net about Shido. Whacked out conspiracy theories that are apparently no longer whacked out conspiracy theories."

"These sites barely have the gest of it." Now he was back in his element. Standing up he avoided sitting directly on Natsuo's chair, only leaning in over it. Swooping his hand along the mouse-pad he scoured the sites she'd been on. Naturally, they were conspiracy sites, but they all had a grain of truth to them, too much actually. "Shido's built up a network of followers, bastards who share a similar ideology to his."

"Which is?" Natsuo asked.

"That the country's gone to hell in a hand basket and they alone are the ones who can save it, while profiting from doing." He answered.

"The orange glasses gave it away, along with the general look and appearance. Which by the way, explains you."

"…What?" Snapped the brown-haired teen looking at her with cold fire in his eyes.

"I mean it explains you. Come on," Holding up a printed-out sheet of Shido's oh-so-punch-able face Natsuo scowled. "Look at him, the man looks like a bald version of Mondo Akari from Aeon Genesis Novagelion!"

Times like this Goro was glad no one was around as his inner nerd suddenly rose up and took the controls of his brain. "I am _not_ that wimpy or pathetic!"

 _ **But you've got daddy issues.**_

 _Shut up, Loki!_

"But I'm guessing you've got daddy issues, I mean why else would you go around causing people to have mental breakdowns and killing them." Argued Natsuo holding out a set of files for him to examine. "Let me take an even wilder guess, there's some secret conspiracy that snakes its way through the entire Japanese government, right?"

"Right."

"Exactly, I-wait, you mean I'm actually onto something?" For once the green-eyed girl looked stunned. Normally, Goro would take pleasure in that, but the gears in his head finally had fuel and they were turning too fast for him to worry about such petty things.

Natsuo, still wearing a bit of a dumbfounded expression on her face took the seat as beckoned by Goro. In a way both teens were back in their comfort-zones: Natsuo sat in her chair, her fingers furiously typing in information bringing up page after page while Goro stood behind her. The surprising comfort of the bean-bag chair was forgotten about. Cold fury replaced his previous discontent. Names, faces, as he looked a them all, read the words of fringe lunatics and those who'd picked up the trail memories of that night less than a week ago came ebbing back to him.

Outside the window the rain had begun to fall again in earnest.

Almost half an hour had passed when the pair decided to take a break. Truthfully, it was needed for them.

The oldest Hashioka sat back against his chair, her bag of chips completely depleted along with her soda can. Crunching it her hands she flung it across the room where it successfully landed in the trash bin. Silently, Goro followed her lead. "Alright, so let me see if I have this right, you appeared before your long-lost asshole dad two years ago,"

"Yes."

"And offered to use this…power of yours, to enter an alternate world where you proceeded to hunt down aspects of the psyche of people, either killing them or driving them mad."

"Correct."

"Thus, allowing your old man and his cronies to build up an invisible empire that you one day intended to burn down, but he beat you too."

"…Just about the gist of it."

A long sigh escaped her lips as she fixed the brown-haired hitman with a sideways stare. "You really didn't think this through, did you?" The glare that came was expected. She didn't back down, but she knew she'd hit too close a sore spot. "What I mean is you bet on Shido not asking any questions."

"…"

"Weird kid shows up at your door one day offering to help you with your political ambitions and you just go along with it?"

"…I was betting he'd be too conceited to notice me." Goro said in an almost dead-voice as he looked away.

Leaking her lips Natsuo tried to think of what to say next that wouldn't offend her house-guest, yet would also possibly point him in the direction she needed him to go. "Look, from what you told me, Shido's an arrogant prick, what white-suited politician isn't, but he's not stupid. Goro, you-"

"I underestimated him." He finished for her.

"…Yeah, sure, let's go with that." Echoed the green-eyed girl. "That bombing at your apartment,"

"Natsuo, have you ever heard of Sanyu Terashima?"

"Terashima, you mean-" Stopping mid-sentence the seventeen-year-old's eyes widened to dinner plat size. "But you put that bastard away! I saw it on the news, hell, I wrote a little news article about it at school!"

"I did…but Shido got him out apparently. Natsuo, Shido has the Superintendent General of the TMPD, Genta Mitsumoto," Growled the rogue hitman with a feral expression. Just the mere saying of his name made Goro's blood boil. "Under his thumb along with the head of the Special Investigative Unit, and Tosaburō Etō, Chief Justice on the Supreme Court. Hell, when I worked for him he _loaned me_ out to people whose I would liked nothing more than to put a bullet in. Odds are he pulled some strings to get Terashima out."

"He 'magically' busts out, hunts you down, kills you, and since you told me he's got the police under his thumb there's a shame of an investigation." The young writer whistled. "To cut a long-story short, you're in _**deep**_ shit."

Looking up from the carpet he gave her a half-cocked smile, like a man resigned to death and making one last joke. "It's not too late to cut and run."

Once more, Natsuo Hashioka surprised him by laughing. Unlike him, she was joyous, vibrant, almost energized hearing of his plight. "Are you kidding me?! Why the hell am I gonna cut and run when I'm sitting on a story that puts the stuff on TV to shame! I'm sticking this through to the end! Besides, have you forgotten who I am?" Sitting up she stood before him with her hands on her hips, a proud grin of audacity wide on her face. "Goro Akechi, I'm the niece of Josuke Shishido, number-one ranked hitman of the Rokuhara Clan and daughter of Saiji Hashioka, the clan's top accountant. Danger and death are practically my down the street neighbors!"

The outside rain was the only sound that in the room, and arguably in the entire house. Goro sat there on the bed, staring at Natsuo with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. She continued staring at him with her audacious grin. It was…it was…it was like Akira's, but perhaps a little brighter. Unlike the black-haired teen who lurked in the shadows feigning helplessness Natsuo stood up front beneath the light and proudly displayed herself. She dared danger to come at her, and if Goro was right like his dark-haired counterpart she'd waltz out of the way. Goro almost thought the girl could move like water, but she wasn't water.

You punched fire and all you did was get burned, and the fire would spread and spread, roaring its existence all the way until it eventually burned itself out of its validation.

His laughter was faint before it worked itself up leaving him leaning back on the bed. "You're…you're an idiot! A complete idiot!" He roared.

"Says the guy who thought it was a good idea to follow a crackpot revenge plan." Natsuo fired back.

Instead of getting angry Goro continued to laugh. "Touché, but maybe we can work something out." Sitting up and wiping away a stray tear in his eyes placed a hand to his chin. "Since we both have something on each other, I have your uncle and you know my…unfortunate little secret, we're at a bit of a crossroad so what do you say to making a deal? You strike me as the type of girl who likes excitement."

"And rather than the composed nice-guy detective the media knows you're looking like the dangerous psycho type." Natsuo replied with an equally cheeky smile. "I'll help you sort this mess out, but you gotta give me the story. As in if, no, _**when**_ this breaks I want to be the one to put pen to paper on it."

"Are you sure about that? Natsuo, some pretty high-ranking people are involved in this." Despite the upsurge running through him a part of Goro felt the breaks needed to be pressed. He harbored no delusions about how this was going to end, and he didn't want Natsuo harboring them either. The Phantom Thieves were one thing, but she didn't have a Persona, she had no personal stake in this, and lastly-she still had someone who needed her unlike him. "You step into this you're going to be going up against some very dangerous people."

"People like the Chief Justice, an ex-hitman who won't think twice about blowing my brains out, a few shady CEOs, some corrupt politicians, corrupt cops, and whoever else your bald bastard dad can drag up from who knows where." She shrugged. "Given my upbringing I don't have much respect for law enforcement, no offense."

"None taken, honestly, given the way things are now you've got every right not to."

For a brief moment the green-eyed girl looked stunned at his affirmation. Obviously, she'd been expecting a different answer, though Goro wasn't sure why given everything she'd already deduced. "O-Oh, t-thanks, well, anyway, I've flirted with death before. Aside from that…" She sat back in her chair, cross-legged. When she opened her eyes Goro saw something had changed, they were now colder and more focused like his. "I hate bastards like Shido, if everything you've told me is true then I'm using my right as a Japanese citizen and getting the truth about out." Letting her head fall back allowed her orange-red hair to fall over the seat. "In addition to that, I won't lie to you, a part of me wants to see it-what happens when the country finds out its 'savior' is nothing but a power-mad, murderous bastard."

 _Murderous bastard,_ Goro mused lacing his hands together. Natsuo raised her head back up and caught him in the midst of his thinking. Realizing he needed a moment or to she spun back towards her desk and began typing. Beside her the printer hooked up to the computer booted itself up and began to spit out sheet after sheet. _Alright, enough of this,_ A part of him up he glanced back at Natsuo. "You should be careful of what sites you're going on and who you're talking to, Shido has Masaya Komori in his pocket so he owns almost all the airwaves in Tokyo."

"Is that how he turned public opinion against the Phantom Thieves?"

"Actually, I sorta helped with that. You know Okumura, the CEO of Okumura Foods?"

"You killed him then pinned it on the Phantom Thieves, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Smart plan," she said. "Dick move, but smart plan. Since Okumura's death the media's been on a nonstop blitz attack aimed at the Phantom Thieves. I swear, sometimes I feel like I'm one of the few who goes to the Phan-site and leaves a _positive_ comment."

The news about the Phan-site was an unintended bolt to his heart. He supposed he…scratch that, no apology would ever make up for it. Nothing he ever did or could do would make it up to Haru. Shaking away the thoughts he decided there was another topic he had to get to, something that truly was life-and-death if he left it hanging. "Natsuo,"

Sensing a change in his demeanor the girl spun around finding Goro now standing a few feet from her. "What is it? Something I should know?"

"Yes, in fact, it's something you really need to know." Resolving himself as he did in the café he reached into his pocket for his phone. "If I…told you I…did what I did using…unnatural means, would you believe me?"

"Just spit it out." She snapped.

"Would you believe me if I told you another world existed? One made of up the cognitive thought of humanity?"

Natsuo went blank-faced and stared at him.

"On those websites you go to," he began seriously, "Have you ever heard the word 'Persona' on any of them?"

Two things flashed in her eyes: recognition and shock. He'd hit the nail on the head.

"When you said you…killed their-what were they called again?"

"Shadows, I'm assuming you've heard _that_ term too, haven't you?" Goro pressed.

With a closing of the mouth the fire returned to Natsuo's eyes as she spun around. Neither said a word as Goro hovered her, watching her dismiss old pages regarding Shido, his political cooperate associates in favor of new pages. In minutes they were both staring at a picture of Inaba, a sleepy little town in the countryside.

Or it was until five years ago when it was the site of a number of "strange events" starting with mysterious fog, a murder spree ending with a member of its police force as the culprit, and then going from there.

Earthquakes, more mysterious fog, reported ghost-sightings, strange animal-sights, people disappearing and some reappeared, and finally a Goddamn _meteor_ shower that deposited several large and mysterious space rocks just outside the town.

What had been a sleepy little place one could retire to had ballooned into something else, something that still had people asking questions to this day.

 _ **Goro,**_ Spoke the brown-haired teen's Personas in unison.

 _Did you know about this?_ Began the teenager in a monotone.

 _ **We had to let you find out on your own.**_ Robin began in an apologetic tone.

 _ **This journey you're undertaking, Akira has his, and you have yours, one that will take you down a far stranger road.**_ Echoed Loki.

Their words should have angered him, but within the teenage assassin there was no room for anger. He knew this wasn't the time for that, not staring at the pictures and reading the articles. Natsuo had pulled up and new articles he requested for her.

"You remember that old architect CEO, Saito Tokimasa?"

"Yes, I do." Goro answered. "Shido mentioned him once and called him an idiot for 'toying with power he didn't understand'. He died not too long after the events in Inaba, didn't he?"

"Not 'long after', Goro, some people believe he died _during_ the events. One of the theories out there is one of the locals murdered him since he was looking to buy up a bunch of the land and develop it, but with what you've told me, I think there's more. Look at this."

The video Natsuo brought up showed…showed…Goro didn't know how to describe it. It was blurry, but focusing in he saw what looked to be the deceased architect walked through the streets, but the streets were actually the focus.

"Are you seeing the background around him…shift and change?"

"…Yeah, are you?"

"Good, so I'm not crazy. It get crazier."

She wasn't joking, the videos, short clips less than five minutes long each, showed Inaba, but each one was _different._ Right before Goro's eyes he saw the buildings change, shift, and in some cases-explode. His gut lurched as he was shown video after video where not just Tokimasa but several other figures were shown-either walking with him or _fighting_ him.

"Stop!"

Natsuo all but slammed down the pause button. "What?!"

"T-The blur…" Goro muttered reaching out to touch the screen. It was foggy and unclear, but he knew what he was looking at.

A sword held by a figure garbed in red-flames.

Tokimasa himself wielding what looked like a sword and an axe.

Through the flames he made out details: a cape, a crown, armor-plating.

"Persona, he…" Goro stuttered. "He…he had a Persona, just like…just like…"

"Goro," Natsuo cut off looking at him with sharp eyes. "Do you know who else was in the Inaba at the time? Mitsuru _Kirijo_ and Kei _Nanjo_ , you know, head of two of the largest companies in Japan." The seriousness broke in her eyes. "and Yukari Takeba, her too."

Kirijo and Nanjo, both names he recognized, but the _second one_ drew Goro's attention.

" _That bastard upstart thinks he's destined to be number one. The position belongs to no one but me, and I'll prove it to the insufferable shit."_

Wiping his eyes, he felt like his brain was going to explode. He was finally getting the pieces, but he hadn't expected so many of them to come at him like this. Latching onto an earlier thought he said, "Tokimasa had buildings set up all over Japan, and during the events in Inaba they sudden self-destructed, like they were on some sort of timer. More importantly, everything that happened in Inaba-"

"Minus the meteorites." Natsuo interrupted.

"Happened in two other places: Tatsumi Port Island and Sumaru City, both of which have a history of-"

"Weird shit, but Sumaru City especially. There was that thing in 2000 that ended with the Foreign Minister dead and rumors he was a part of some weirdo cult. Was that where Shido got his ideas?"

"I don't know! I'm trying to figure that part out!"

"Anyway, before Inaba and Tatsumi Port there was stuff happening in Sumaru City. It stirred up all the old rumors and scandals that happened years ago. Goro, I think it's all connected, scratch that, I _know_ it is."

"How?" Goro asked.

"Uncle Jō," she answered looking visibly distressed for the first time. "He...he had some friends in the city who were caught up in the bombings caused by the Masked Circle. You've heard of them, haven't you?"

Nodding Goro thought back to one evening he'd spent with Akira who'd revealed a little more about his personal past. "I have a…friend who grew up outside of the city. Plus, the bombings were all over the news, even those in Tokyo were asking questions and sending people out to find out what the hell was going on."

"Yeah, well, while all of this is good, I think what we should be asking is what happened _after_." New pages were pulled up, and this time Goro was surprised to further access them Natsuo had to log in, then enter a password.

"What kind of site asks for a password?"

"The kind that's exclusive to certain people." She sharply answered.

"Does your uncle know about this?"

"Partially, after he came back he told us he saw…things, things that didn't make sense. So, I did some digging, and look at what I found."

The site looked like just another conspiracy center, but the videos caught his attention. First up, a boy in a warehouse, three oil-drums before him before him. Tuning out the commentary Goro watched in silent awe as the drums were flipped by an unseen force, to mortal eyes at least. He leaned in close, close enough his breath was almost on the screen. Goro saw it with his own two eyes-a shadowy-figure behind the boy that surged forward knocking the oil drums skyward. The next video played and this time it was a woman standing in front of a tree, there was a flash than the tree was burning like a candle. After that was a man summoning… _something_ before the video cut off, reading error.

"That's been happening for the last couple of years." Natsuo voice called bringing him back to reality. As he leaned back she motioned to the video-line up, taking note of how suddenly several screen-shots went dark. "Goro, most of these videos went up _after_ Inaba, and almost a month after things quieted down they started getting taken down. A year ago, there was seventy of them, and not just from Japan, from all over the world. Now there's barely ten. Whole _sites_ have been shut-down, and I would know because I was on some of them when they went. It nearly fried my computer."

"Someone or something doesn't want people knowing about this, and I can understand why." Said the male teen solemnly.

"That bad?"

The orange-haired girl yelped when Goro's hands firmly gripped her shoulders. It was the first physical contact they had and the look the boy was giving her sent a dark chill up her spine. "Natsuo, I've got a pretty good idea why people are trying to hide this. Believe me, they've got the right idea."

When he finally withdrew his hands, he ran them over his face. It was in that moment Goro realized Natsuo had been right, more right than he'd been willing to admit. More that him though his thoughts went to Akira and the others, _What in God's name did we all step into?_ Robin and Loki were oddly silent, though something told Goro if he talked to them they'd likely dodge the question. _Igor was right, I was arrogant in thinking we were alone in this world, and in not doing my homework._

Natsuo was equally flustered as she was flexing her fingers, probably also trying to get some feeling back in them. "Okay, let's…try something a little different. You said you were going to betray your old man at some point, I'm assuming you weren't stupid enough to walk into the police station and confess were you?"

"No…but that doesn't matter."

"Why?"

"It's all gone." He answered balling his fists. "Natsuo, all the evidence I built up against Shido and his flunkies, _all of it,_ was in my apartment when Terashima blew it sky-high."

Natsuo face-palmed, and to be honest, she had ever right to. "Alright then." Getting up from her seat she marched over to one of her bookshelves and latched onto a notebook. There was a short struggle as she pulled to get it out, and out it came, along with several other notebooks. Cursing she sat the center book on the bed and began to pick up the rest. "Use that, write down any info you can remember in there."

Frowning, Goro walked over and began to help her. Kneeling beside the orange-haired girl he noticed titles on several of the notebooks. Curiosity got the better of him as he glanced at the titles, several of which had illustrations on them, quite stunning illustrations, and then he opened them up finding drawn pictures alongside paragraphs and words. One in particular caught his eye, "Kamen Rider Sigma?"

"Side-story!" He saw her coming, and instead of letting her swipe the notebook he held it out of her reach. Surprisingly, she made no further attempts to grab it, she only glared at him. Goro gave her an innocent look that eventually corroded her defenses. "Fine, you probably know Shuya's the drawer, I'm the writer."

"He did mention something while we were at the park." Now looking more closely he saw more notebooks lined up on the shelves. Far too many for simple school purposes. "You're a writer, aren't you? And you write Kamen Rider stories?"

"Not just Kamen Rider stories, whatever I'm feeling." She laughed. Natsuo looked good with that smile and laughter from up close. Goro felt his lips twitch upwards as he gave the notebook back to her. "I've always loved writing about anything that interests me: superheroes, monsters, detective fiction, you name it I write it. It's what I-"

 _ **BING!**_

Jumping upward she raced over to her phone where she scrolled through messages and updates. "It's time for me to pickup Shuya. Goro, you think we can-"

"We can research some more once we get back, and Shuya's safe here at home."

"We?"

"I…I'd like to go with you to pick him up." He said looking away.

Natsuo looked at him for a moment. Slowly, a smile began to grow on her face, a true smile that made his cheeks blush slightly crimson. "Thank you."

"I'm the one who should be thanking you."

"Why?"

 _For a number of things…things that I…that he…_ The thought trailed off causing a shifting in Goro's gut. He didn't know why but for some reason he felt…lighter, warmer. Shaking away the feeling he headed for the door. "Never mind, I'll be waiting by the front door with the umbrella."

"Quite gentlemanly of you."

Stopping, he turned back to face her with a smile. It wasn't fake like his usual ones, it was tired but genuine. "Hey, you're a lady who's earned it."

* * *

 **Pretty big chapter there, and since it was Natsuo's I hope she made quite the impression, if she didn't already. I decided go with sibling yin-yang by making her Shuya's polar opposite in just about everything…right down to their preferred shows. I admit, I'm more of a Kamen Rider fan so decided to play with the fandom rivalry. Those of the Sun Arcana in the Persona series tend to ironically find themselves in terrible situations yet remain optimistic (most of the time) so I based some of her personality around that.**

 **Natsuo's name and character are based off of Mariko Hashioka, pen name-Natsuo Kirino, an award-winning Japanese author known for her deep and compelling crime and detective novels. Arguably her most well-known novel is "Out", a story about four women who accidentally commit murder…and must endure their lives** _ **coming apart**_ **because of it. Interestingly, contrary to what most think Akechi is also named after Kogoro Akechi, a fictional private detective created by Edogawa Ranpo, an author and critic who played a major role in the development of Japanese mystery fiction. He was also a fan of Edgar Allen Poe. Basically, Natsuo and Akechi are more alike than the latter realizes, meaning she's not all sunshine and smiles.**

 **This chapter I'm sure raised some questions since it name-dropped some very important people, that'll be continuously elaborated upon throughout the story. Next chapter the drama continues including a member of Shido's Conspiracy having a moral crisis.**


	15. Chapter 14-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt7

**Sorry for the month long wait in updating, everyone. Sorta got caught up in a few other things before I could turn my attention back to this story.**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 14-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt.7**

 _ **3:58 PM…**_

"You know, if you keep this up if a flee lands on you I'm pretty sure you're going to scream."

Ignoring the flame-haired girl's words Goro went back to his self-imposed lookout duty. Then silently realized that Natsuo was right. At this rate all he was doing was making himself look suspicions with his constant looking around and glaring. The glaring part was especially bad since he was using any one in sight as an outlet for his pent-up frustration and unease. They'd gotten almost a block from the Hashioka home before the full weight of his discovery truly hit him and had him feeling like he was carrying the weight of the world. It took Natsuo placing her hand atop of his to remind him all he was holding up were his own fears and doubts.

He stopped to look back at her noting for what must have been the tenth time how remarkable she was. A little brown cap covered her head to keep her ears warm and her fiery orange hair had been pulled into a pony tail. Goro wouldn't say it, but he thought she looked rather attractive with her hair done up like that, granted, not as attractive as keeping it untamed and wild. Emerald eyes stared back at him, slightly bringing him back down to the realm of reason and rationality. He felt ashamed of himself for having to have someone bring him back down, to comfort him. The last person who'd done such a thing had been…no, he refused to compare Natsuo to his mother. Too many differences existed between them already and something told him in the future more would manifest.

Nearly ten minutes later and their stop came. Natsuo held onto his hand as they stood up and she guided him out. He didn't mind her physical touch in the slightest, in fact, he was slowly beginning to cherish it. In spite of the rainy weather she was warm, incredibly warm. Gently, he slipped his hand from hers' then nodded, motioning for her to lead the way. Wordlessly, he followed after the older Hashioka. Though on the outside relaxed Goro kept a sharp eye out for anything out of the ordinary. Natsuo remained the center of his attention though, every person she passed he paid close attention to. If someone made any sort of pass at her he would act and deal with the repercussions as they came.

Sukeyo Junior High was a standout building. Four floors of polished white stone and metal that glistened in the rain. Standing upfront overlooking a decent-sized courtyard was a worn-looking clock that ticked by every few seconds. Hanging from the railings on the rooftop fell several drapes, all decorated with eye-catching designs and symbols. Though the rain and wind had done a good job in mangling them and ruining some of the paint, Goro could appreciate the gesture.

"Did Shuya design one of those?" He immediately asked as they came upon the school gate. From what he could see many had chosen to skip staying after school, possibly even some of the after-school clubs had been canceled.

"Yep, see that one with the leaf designs cascading downward? He designed that one. It's something the school does every time the seasons change. Usually, at least one of Shuya's designs gets picked and hung over the school." Answered the old sister with pride brimming on her face.

Now Goro could understand the young boy's shyness and withdrawn nature a little more. He had talent, but he was weighed down by a family history he didn't ask for. Lump that together with his natural personality and it must have made the kid prime bait for bullies and those green with jealousy and envy. His teachers and sisters no doubt had to push him to show his artwork, and the results might have simply added to the scorn the boy faced from his naysayers.

Shuya was sitting on a bench nestled safely beneath the school. He recognized the position he'd taken-withdrawn in the shadows and by himself, secluded in his own little world. In his left hand was one of his sketchpad and in the other was a pencil, furiously tracing line after line. The younger Hashioka was perfectly happy in his own little world; Goro could greatly sympathize with the bless the youth must have been feeling. Suddenly, his drawing hand came to a dead stop followed by his head rising thus catching sight of Goro and his sister. Shuya smiled at the two of them. Goro smiled back. Natsuo carried nothing for the mud and bounded over to her younger brother, immediately chatting up a storm with him while the teenage hitman took his time closing the distance. He stopped almost immediately realizing he and the Hashiokas weren't alone.

She was in her seemingly mid to late thirties with chocolate brown hair and deep green eyes. Goro could tell right off the bat by her facial symmetry that the woman was half-Japanese at least. At first, she was smiling seeing the Hashioka siblings reunited, then her gaze found him and she went stiff. He didn't blame her as he was looking at her as if he were a starving wolf that just found its latest meal.

"Mrs. Ōhori," Natsuo jumped in. Odds were, she sensed how tense things were about to become and knew intervention was necessary. She couldn't have chosen a better time. "Thanks for looking after Shuya until we got here."

The now identified teacher snapped out of her stupor. She smiled at Natsuo and Shuya, "It was no problem, you know he's one of my favorite students. Now then, um…mind introducing me to this gentleman standing out there in the rain?"

Both Goro and Natsuo inhaled a breath to speak. Shuya beat them to the punch. "He's a friend, a friend who just moved to Tokyo. Mrs. Ōhori, this is Souta Hashigama." Picking up on his words Goro immediately bowed his head, discarding his paranoia and threatening aura. Mentally, the youngest of the trio breathed a sigh of relief. _Another disaster averted. Geez, was I this bad after…well, actually, yeah, I probably was._ From the corner of his eye he glanced back at his sister silently questioning if anything had happened to make their house guest jumpier than usual. The look she gave him told Shuya something had indeed happened.

"W-Well, welcome to Tokyo, Souta. How are you enjoying your stay so far?"

"This is definitely proving to be a city full of surprises." The lie rolled off his tongue with little to no problem. A humorless chuckle built up inside of him, apparently his intense flirting with the truth hadn't strained his relationship with dishonest as much as he'd thought. "I-I'm a friend of the family's, I-I'm also looking after Shuya."

"More like me and Natsuo are looking after you since you're still trying to find your way around." Shuya innocently quipped causing the two females to burst into giggles. Goro glared at the twelve-year-old from the corner of his eyes through his contacts. He remained as unflappable as before, in fact, he would have sworn he saw a glint of amusement in his green eyes.

"Well then, I suppose there's no reason for me to stick around here any longer, is there? Shuya, please, give what I said some thought tonight." Spoke the teacher looking to the younger Hashioka with a smile that caused him to recoil with a pink tint on his face.

Natsuo made a mental note to tease her brother over his teacher crush later, she had another line to chase. "Um, is something happening over the weekend?"

There was a brief exchanging of looks between Shuya and Mrs. Ōhori. Once again, the younger boy shrunk away causing the teacher to giggle. "I see he didn't tell you. The school's partnered up with an art gallery that's going to be opening a few blocks from here. They agreed to display some of the artwork created by out students, and I've been trying to get Shuya to enter some of his work. It's entirely optional and up to him."

"He'll do it." Affirmed the older sibling smiling proudly. Shuya looked to his sister ready to protest, but Natsuo was faster. "Tomorrow right? No problem! I'll drop him off and trust him to your care for the day!"

"Don't I have a say in this since it's, ya' know, my stuff?" Deadpanned the auburn-haired boy.

"I don't think you do, your sister seems to have spoken for you." Whistled Goro slightly enjoying his young compatriot's embarrassment.

The trio waved their goodbye to Mrs. Ōhori, who returned to the inside of the school no doubt to gather her own things so she could get on her way. Very quickly Shuya turned to his sister with narrowed eyes she meant with a Cheshire smile, the same one she'd flashed Goro from time to time. Much like him, the younger boy proved powerless before it as all his objections seemingly bounced off of Natsuo. Seemingly content in her domination she suggested they go out and do some shopping since they were out and about. Almost immediately Shuya perked up and agreed while Goro merely shrugged his shoulders. Truthfully, a part of him wanted to say no and have they all head straight home so he could continue his research. Ironically, that was exactly why he didn't say anything, deep down, he knew he needed a break as did Natsuo. She'd been dead on about him being filled with tension; perhaps a trip to the mall would help him unwind. Even if it was with two enigmas that were Natsuo and Shuya Hashioka.

As it happened, the Shinjuku night life was beginning to kick in. All manners of people were coming out in spite of the dreary weather. Or maybe it was because of the weather they were coming out, the various malls and shopping centers the Hashiokas brought him before were certainly brimming with activity. Natsuo guided them all to a "favorite" of the family, Domen Shopping Complex, a four story mall with a store for just about everything one could imagine. To the Persona-user, it looked just like any other mall, but he was willing to take Natsuo's word for it. Upon getting to the food court, she declared they'd met back up in about an hour where they would eat then decide if they wanted to stay for a while longer or go home.

"Mind going with him?" Asked the orange-haired girl giving the disguised teenager a plea. So amazing was the turnaround, from the confident woman to the tender sister. Once he nodded she grinned, spun on her heel, and began walking away.

"Quite a sister you've got there." Muttered the male teen.

"Sometimes she's too nosey." Whispered Shuya digging his hands in his pockets. "Hey…when your…place went up, you lost most of your stuff, didn't you?"

A ping of sadness rippled through Goro as he lowered his head. "Yes, a lot of…important things of mine are now ashes."

"I…I know a place, or a couple of places, would you be interested in giving them a look?"

Amidst the dozens of faces in the food court, the false detective and young artist smiled at one another. Keeping the expression on his face, Shuya began guiding the older boy through Domen's maze of shops which ranged from typical clothing to video game to pawn shops. The pawn shops they dipped in; Goro had to admit, he was fairly impressed. While he'd been around a few in Tokyo, he'd never quite checked out those stationed in Shinjuku for fear of his reputation being shot. With that fear no longer hanging over him he was free to roam, and roam the did under the guidance of Shuya. Action figures, models, movies, posters, and collectibles, all he saw kept a smile on his face. He began wishing he had a bag of his own, and money for that matter to spend. Even if he couldn't put any of these things up eh wanted to buy something as if to show he was able to recover a piece of his old self.

His feelings didn't go unnoticed by Shuya. Taking him by the hand, he dragged him into a nearby store where he picked out a cheap but nice carrying bag. "I have a debt card with a few hundred yen on it, so…"

"I'd ask how and why you have something like that, but I kinda already know the answer." Both of them shared a private laugh before they got to the register where the bag was bought and paid for. Once they were safely across the shop's threshold the ticket was torn off and the leather strap was thrown across Goro's shoulder.

The minute he spotted the mall's resident Lego store Goro had a gut feeling Shuya would make a request for a "little peak". He did so by way of a sideways glance filled with shyness and unease. Releasing a content sigh, he began walking towards the store with his young caretaker quickly keeping pace with him, even overtaking him. Goro had to admit, the second he stepped into the Lego store a child-like glee he hadn't felt in a while returned to him. The bright colors and decorations of the inside of store reawakened his inner nerd, probably just as Shuya had predicted. In light of that he owed the boy, again.

"Is there any particular reason you don't want anyone seeing your artwork?" He innocently questioned as Shuya surveyed the Lego City collections that were on display. "Could it be you're scared you're work isn't up to stuff…or that you don't want to draw attention to yourself? If it's the latter, how do you expect to find serious work at Toei studios, or at any other company you choose to take yourself too."

Stopping dead in his tracks, Shuya lowered his head obscuring his eyes from view. "I'm…I'm not like you or Natsuo…I don't do the spotlight."

"Sometimes you don't get a choice, sometimes the spotlight chooses you. That's what happened to…a friend of mine." Sensing where he was heading Shuya looked to him with curiosity in his eyes. Smiling, he walked over to a skyscraper protected behind a glass display. Placing his head against it he allowed his mind to wonder back to that one evening after their first expedition into Sae's Palace. "There comes a time…when the spotlight just swings upon you, there's no choice or decisions involved, it just happens. My…friend had the spotlight swung upon him when he wasn't ready. It cost him almost every thing he had to the point he thought it better to remain in the shadows forever, but things changed. Now, his face is all over the news as the leader of Tokyo's most wanted. No part thanks to me of course."

The eyes of the young artist grew upon realizing who it was Goro had been speaking of. His words gradually began to sink in as Shuya resumed his shopping. Goro could see it on his face and feel it in his bones even when he attempted to look around. While he did so and found a few things that caught his interest Goro made sure Shuya never vanished from his sight, call it protective instinct or ego, whatever it was, it kept the older male from completely losing sight of his young charge. And it kept him civil, remarkably civil in spite of the situation. He himself found a few models that he felt tempted to buy. As her turned over the boxes noting the features of each a cynical voice in the back of his reminded him even if he built them, he'd have nowhere to put them. It wasn't like he could stay at the Hashiokas place forever, nor did he want to further stain their home than he already had done. What drove the voice's words home was coming upon one particular set that he'd always had his eye on.

His head slid across the completed form of the Sydney Opera House on the front cover of the box. Traveling had been a bit of a private passion for Goro, and if he couldn't see the wondrous sights of the world, he could bring them into his bedroom by building the models of the most famous landmarks. Sydney was one of them, and its famous opera house had been high on his list of desired destinations. Goro clearly remembered finding it, and from time to time at a good deal, but he never bought it. _"Next time,"_ that's what he'd always tell himself, again and again. Now even if he bought it he'd have nowhere to put it. He had no one but himself to blame for that, but that didn't make the twinge of pain easier to deal with, quite the opposite.

Goro felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up and heard a swift inhalation of breath. Breaking off, she spun around to find a face he hadn't expected to.

In total, he'd seen Mrs. Hayagawa's rain weather attire about eighteen times, this latest encounter made nineteen. Her black hair was still done up in a ponytail, but that wasn't what he paid attention to. What he focused on were the lines on her face, small but visible to his trained eyes; she'd just gotten off from work. Surprise littered her blue eyes before the shifted away, embarrassment taking hold.

"Oh, um, sorry about that, I was just sorta-"

"Here." It was automatic, him taking hold of the set and practically shoving it to her. Realizing he'd been a little forcefully Goro quickly worked to smooth over the situation. He didn't want Shuya having to save him again. "I-I was just giving it a look. For one or multiple builders?"

Smiling, she took hold of the box. "Two, and if my work schedule is kind to me, four. Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you."

"I-It was no trouble at all." He struggled to put up his usual mask of lies and misdirection, it wasn't working. "I'll be going, s-sorry for wasting your time."

"W-Wait!" Instead of continuing to walk, Goro froze in place. With great difficulty, he craned his head to the side just barely meeting Mrs. Hayagawa's blue eyes. "Um, not to be rude, but have we met before? You look kinda familiar."

He forced his mind and mouth to work in unison. "I-I get that a lot, I-I'm just someone new to the area. H-Have a nice day."

Normally, he would have bolted out of the store, kept walking, and only stopped when he felt his feet begin to ache. For some reason, he didn't do any of that. What he did do was find Shuya. Quietly, he made his way over to the younger boy and pretended to take an interest in whatever it was he was looking at. This didn't go unnoticed as Shuya held out his hand the minute they were side by side. Wide-eyed, Goro took hold of the item to examine it.

"I…thought you'd-you know what, never-"

"Thank you."

Of the few cars he'd collected, a Ford Mustang model wasn't one of them. Flashing the auburn-haired boy a grateful smile, Goro tucked the item beneath his arm, showing he was planning on buying it.

"You _do_ have enough money to pay for this stuff, right?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Shuya smirked at him. "My sister and uncle learned a _long_ time ago not to send me out without spending money."

In the end, he had four sets while Goro had two. Shuya had procured three more additions to his Lego city collection along with a Marvel Quinjet set. Goro had gone simpler choosing to add newly brought-in jet set. His eyes did widen a little when instead of straight cash Shuya pulled out and paid for their items with a debit card; the clerk behind the register slightly raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Something told Goro in this story they were used to getting customers with a range of payment methods. Out of curtsy and practicality, Goro took hold of the bags and carried them as they exited the store. From the corner of his eye he observed that as they left Mrs. Hayagawa had gotten into line. There was a girl by her side maybe a year or two shy of Shuya. Right off the bat he could tell they were mother and daughter by the dark color of their hair and excited whispering going on between them. Goro wasn't sure why, but he smiled hearing them.

Once they were back in the crowd he glanced to his young compatriot and deduced that something was wrong. Motioning to a bench, he set the bags down and waited for him to respond.

"That woman," he began slowly. "Did you…know her?"

"She lived in my apartment complex, just a few doors down from me." Admitted the disguised teenager with a sigh. "She…she was nice to me, nicer than she should have been."

"You don't want her getting involved in any of this, do you?" Pressed the boy keeping his gaze focused on the ground.

It didn't come as a surprise that Shuya had been watching him. During his time in the Hashioka household he'd learned just how observant the youngest child was. The trait reminded Goro of himself really, along with his shyness. Really, it felt a little like looking into a mirror. "Like I said, she was nice to me, I…I didn't deserve that kindness. I lied to her, I've lied to everyone."

"Yet here you are, so there's no use in sulking about it." His handed tightened on the metallic edge of the bench they'd taken refuge on. Passed them walked dozens of people who paid neither of them much mind. "Hey, about what you said earlier…do you…think a guy like me could…be under the spotlight?"

Releasing an easy-going sigh, Goro prompted his right leg up and leaned forward. "You have the talent and intelligence for it, but from what I see, you're lacking the will." In addition to the people, Goro heard the rain pounding against the glass ceiling overhead. It was like a soft melody he could relax himself to. "How many kids bully you? Are there in any particular?"

Of course, he'd have him figured out so quickly. Just as Goro had spotted the similarities in Shuya, the green-eyed boy had found those in the older boy. Though it'd come as a bit of a surprise to him, learning more about the teenage detective had made it easier to swallow. "Four guys in particular…they're…they're dicks. Always laughing at me and calling me a weirdo and a bastard because my dad worked for the Yakuza. Sure, some people like to pick at it, but those four get their kicks off coming after me. I try my best to ignore them, but…"

"They think because you're the child of a Yakuza member, knocking you off will give them some sort of street creed." Goro deduced. "Let me take a wild guess, low intelligence, hang around each other as often as possible, name-calling, perhaps a prank here and there, and just generally annoying." When he glanced him at, Goro merely chuckled. "I was a kid once, before I was the oh-so-great 'Detective Prince' I was a nobody, just another kid who got picked on because he came from a shithole orphanage." His use of profanity surprised Shuya a little. It was a habit of his whenever he felt tired of the "mask" he wore for outsiders. Time had shown Shuya wasn't an outsider. "They laughed at me, called me names, and I hated them for it. Shuya…it's okay for you to hate them, you know."

He bit his lip in an effort to contain the mounting emotions. "It's just…what good is feeling this way if I don't have any way to fight back! I don't want to cause trouble for my sister or uncle, but I don't want to be a human punching bag for them! I want to fight back!"

"Then succeed."

"H-Huh?"

Placing both feet against the ground, Goro reached out and placed a hand atop the frustrated boy's head. "Wear that mask for just a little while, smile at them, if only for a little while." He started with a straight face. "They'll mock you and call you out because they think you're weak, but you're not. If anything, you've been through more hell than they'll ever know. Show them the fruits of that journey by succeeding. You can draw amazing things, you're highly intelligent and observant, use those things to show them how weak and insignificant they are compared to you. _That_ is how you fight back, not by punching them in the face, but in spirit." The straight line turned into a smile, one dipped in deviousness. "Pull yourself to the top of the class, all while shrugging them off. When the time comes and you're ready to move on while they're stuck where they are, laugh, laugh in triumph as you've succeeded while they've failed miserably. Your success will draw others to you, their failure will isolate them and make them laughing stocks."

His words had resonated with Shuya as evident by the wide-eyed look he was giving him. Still, more encouragement was needed as the fire quietly shrunk back. "I…as…I don't know if I can do that."

"You can," Affirmed the red-eyed teenager.

"Because…I've been at rock bottom with no one there for me, but I pulled myself up." A humorous chuckle escaped him as his looked skyward. "Another guy did the same thing, like I said, he's annoying as hell, but he scratched and clawed his way to where he is. Knowing him, he's still clawing because he knows he can still go higher. If me and him, two guys who had nothing could do it, then you, who have a sister and uncle, can do it too."

The fire was roaring, yet it still needed more. Shuya's lips trembled as he attempted to duck away. "Do you…really think I could do that? I'm…not really a people person in case you couldn't tell."

"Heh, neither was I. In fact, you and your family are probably the people I've been the most open with." Proclaimed the Persona user. He turned Shuya's head back toward him to give him a soft smile. "Shuya, sometimes you gotta take the spotlight for yourself. Nothing ever changes for those that wait around on their hands and knees. If you want to prove them wrong, stand up and do it yourself, and if they keep coming after you, don't back down."

Green eyes stared into bloody red for what seemed like an eternity. The meeting of the two went completely and utterly unnoticed by the mall-goers, all too busy carrying on with their daily lives.

"You know," Shuya began having gained a slightly red tint on his face. "You're being awfully nice to a kid like me. I'm…nothing special."

It seemed Natsuo and Shuya shared yet another similar trait, they could make him smile without him realizing it. His walls came down, and his true self shined through. "You saved my life, this is me repaying my debt. Aside from that, someone once told me, 'people like us have it rough'. I'm a bastard-bastard, and you're the son of a bastard. The way I see it, we're not all that different."

Shuya didn't seem to mind the way he referred to his father. No doubt he'd heard his father called worse, but from what Goro had gathered, his had loved him unlike the man Goro had been stuck with. Tears glistened at the corner of the younger boy's eyes before they slammed shut, a happy smile covering his face. For the first time in days, Goro felt at peace with himself and the world thus he smiled back.

"My…sister always told me the same thing, but I never took it because she's the…Natsuo's the bold one." Muttered the younger sibling.

"Maybe she's always been trying to tell you that you don't need to be loud and active to have guts. Even the quietest and most unassuming of people can have secrets and talents you never know of, trust me on this."

"Speaking as a detective?"

"Sorta." He laughed. "More than that, I'm speaking as someone who's led a double life and seen what most people would try to hide."

"Noted." Jumping off of the bench it seemed new life had been breathed into the youngster. Following a quick stretch of his arms he pointed to his right. "There's a video game shop a little way's up. I'll show it to you then this show story my uncle takes me to. Maybe there we'll be able to find you some better shoes to wear."

At that, the teenage assassin grunted in agreement. Not that he wasn't grateful, but he would have felt better about waking up if he knew the clothes chosen were his. Unlike his slowly re-forming Lego collection he'd at least have a place to put them. Taking hold of the bag, he began to follow Shuya, only stopping when the boy spun on his heel to stare at him.

"Hey, about this 'friend' of yours, which one of you has the spotlight though?"

It figured _that_ question had to be asked at some point. In a way, Goro tried to tell himself it was better for Shuya to ask it than Natsuo, he'd never hear the end of it from her. That still didn't stop an uncomfortable lurching feeling in his gut followed by his head snapping to the side.

"…You could say it's his, after all, he's Red Hawk." There was no denying the bitterness in his voice.

"Then I guess that makes you his foil, and this makes things another side, another story, huh?"

Shocked, the older boy met the younger's eyes. He was incredibly straight-laced and focused, speaking without a hint of malice or humor.

"I…I guess it does, doesn't it?" Answered the red-eyed teenager, the anger having completely drained from his voice.

* * *

 _ **Tokyo Metropolitan Police Headquarters, 6:28 PM…**_

"If I recall, the rain is supposed to let up tomorrow. Do you have any plans, Genta?"

Mitsumoto grunted, then he chuckled. "Worried I'm getting too caught up in my work? Our glorious leader has given us strict orders to find his little turncoat and silence him before he can spill the beans."

At the very least Satoru returned his laugh. Fully turning around, he regarded his superior and long-time friend with watchful eyes. While in public and before their "true" leader he was duty-bound to remain neutral and obedient. Here, in the confines of the office though, he was allowed a tad bit more freedom. That said, Mitsumoto was still technically speaking his superior. "Already, we've got hundreds of officers looking for the kid, if he makes a peep, we'll hear it. Besides, you've been pushing yourself ragged for the last few days. Even you need a break."

The older man's face turned dark and serious, complimenting the weather outside the window. "That's easier done when there aren't criminals running loose in our city. Criminals we busted our backs to put away."

And there it was, whatever good mood that'd been building up was gone. The giant blood-thirsty elephant in the room had been revealed, and it was now bellowing its trumpet-like nose everywhere. Even those outside the superintendent's office, and even a level down, seemed to sense the shift in mood as every officer and legal practitioner visibly tensed. Several looked to the windows expecting to see a flash of lightning followed by a clap of thunder. What many did not know was that the storm was inside the building instead of outside. And it was just beginning.

Satoru's face grew hard and intense as his superior glared at him from his position behind his desk. Over a hundred times he'd seen those normally docile hazel eyes harden, usually whenever they did trouble wasn't far behind. Lesser men had folded under the cold glare of the superintendent's eyes, Satoru may have been many things, but a lesser man he was not.

Spacing his feet apart, he spoke, "Are we really going to have to go through this again? Genta, it's just a means to an end! It's no different than any of the times we've had to use a snitch or scumbag as bait!"

Mitsumoto was unmoved, in fact, he seemed slightly irritated by his attempted defense. "Except we're not using this one as bait, we're using him as a hunting dog. One kept on a _very_ loose leash. That man is a criminal."

"One that's useful." Fired back the younger of the pair. "Genta, I've humored you for a while, but I think it's time you started facing reality. If we're going to make our dreams come true, we're going to have to cross some lines. You can't change the world on stupid idealism alone." Satoru's words cut both ways as he felt a tight knot form in his gut. Shutting his eyes, the brown-haired man drifted off to a time before his optimism had been crushed. That was a time he often wished he could go back to, if only for a day or so. "Look, Terashima's a bastard, one we're better off putting in the ground than in a cell, but he's useful. For the moment, he's out there hunting the kid down, if we can't find him, I'm sure he will."

His words failed to incite any kind of visible reaction from the superintendent general. Quietly, he stood up and turned his back to his long-time associate. Mitsumoto's gaze remained locked on the outside window, or rather, the world beyond it. A world being soaked by rain, by the taint that was human greed and malice. "Almost five days and our wolf has failed to pickup the trail, then again, so have we. You gotta give Akechi credit."

Ironically, it was Satoru who responded with visible emotion. "Genta," he warned taking a step forward. The police commissioner straightened up giving his boss and friend a long hard glare. How many times had they had this conversation? Too many for Satoru's liking, and yet nothing seemed to change. "Regardless of how you feel about the kid, he's broken the law. He's a murderer."

"And we've got a murderer, leading several other murderers, rapists, and drug dealers out looking for him." Quipped Mitsumoto in a matter-of-fact tone.

The threshold had been crossed, annoyance immediately infected Satoru's face. "Once they've served their purpose, they'll all be brought to justice. Besides, we can't allow that boy to live, he knows too much!"

 _Spoken like a crime lord._ Mused the gray-haired policeman with a nonchalant expression. No doubt if he verbalized his thoughts Satoru would erupt, then they'd really treat those listening in to a show. He'd noticed whenever he pointed out the parallels between Shido's operation and those of a criminal operation, his old friend became awfully defensive. Actually, just about everyone who'd completely pledged allegiance to Shido reacted in a similar manner. Everyone except him. _Heh, when they say it's lonely at the top, they really weren't kidding._

During his contemplation, the TMP Commissioner had taken the time to reassert control over his emotions. No longer was he looking like he was on the verge of an anger-induced fit. "Genta, trust me, I've seen the way you look at the kid, I've seen the way he looked at you. In spite of all that, he's out there, with the ability to unravel _everything,_ we've worked for. Think about it, think long and hard about it. What would your _real_ children think about you throwing their dream away?"

It was a low blow, but one Mitsumoto had gotten uncomfortably used to. He wasn't quite sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. It was a wonder he was even still trying to figure that out after everything he'd seen and done. From the reflection, he observed Satoru's body language; he was watching him, waiting for him to give some sort of reaction. In the past, Mitsumoto had reacted whenever his family had been brought up. It was how Shido had swayed him to his side, and it was in their memory he'd stayed the course. Over time, he'd learned to guard his emotions, especially since his "boss" seemed to make it a habit of using his loved ones' memories to further drive him along. Mitsumoto didn't him to motivate him, every time he woke up and every time he came to work, the hollow flame in his chest burned hot. Those were perhaps the only time he could say he ever truly felt anything.

A stray bolt of lightning splint the black sky. Its sheer brightness stood out as natural in contrast to the unnatural light of Tokyo's various skyscrapers and street lights. Following it was a clap of thunder that seemingly shook the skies. Just as quickly as it came, it was gone, nothing but another ripple in the sea of light and sound of Japan's capital. To think there once was a time when lightning flashed and thunder boomed the citizens would look up to the sky in awe and fear. Mitsumoto from time to time wondered what that era was like. From what he'd read it'd been much simpler, more peaceful than the chaotic mess he was forced to deal with day-in and day-out.

His silence had done well to unnerve Satoru. Pushing down the knot in his stomach, he stepped forward. If he wanted to, he could easily close the distance between him and Mitsumoto, that said, a scuffle between them would no doubt turn into quite a bloody battle. One that would attract too much attention. And get them an earful from Shido. "Look at it this way, this may be the best kind of ending for Akechi. Come on, there was no way the kid was going to make it into the future, not with his background. At the very least this way, he'll die with a clean reputation and be able to see his mother again."

For a response, Mitsumoto gave him a humorless chuckle. Not once did his eyes leave the rain scenery before him. "A moment ago, you were calling him criminal scum in the same league as Terashima and the others."

"He's a punk-ass upstart, but I won't deny he's done his fair share…for the department and for the organization." Admitted Satoru looking like he'd just swallowed expired milk. Truthfully, he'd never particularly taken a shine to Goro, and that was showing through now that the order to eliminate him from the game had been given. However, at the very least Satoru wasn't foaming at the mouth like some of the conspiracy's other members, all of whom were eagerly counting down to the day Shido offered his teenage assassin. "You can't outrun justice forever, isn't that what you used to say?"

 _Once upon a time_. That had been a much nicer time. Mitsumoto finally turned his head to face his police commissioner friend. At last, he gave him something resembling a smile. "I'll take it easy for the night, that's all I can say. You know me, Satoru, I won't feel at easy until the case is closed."

Finally, Satoru's fears were put at ease. For the moment anyway. "That's all I'm asking, as your subordinate and your friend." Spinning on his heel, the brown-eyed commissioner faced the doorway and began making strides towards it. "If anything comes up, I promise I'll contact you. Can I expect you to do the same, Genta?"

"Like you said," Begun the Tokyo PD Superintendent General craning his head a little. "Akechi's running around with the seeds of our destruction. Not doing anything about him would be suicidal. I may be old, but I'm in no hurry to die."

Pacified by his answer, Satoru took his leave. Mitsumoto breathed out a well-hidden sigh of relief. With luck his words and attitude would be enough to keep Satoru from making a call to Shido, or mentioning his lackluster dedication to hunting down his son during his next report. This time at least. Who knew what the outcome of their next private conversation would be. Mitsumoto supposed how it went depended on how much progress had been made regarding the search for Goro.

Finally, alone and at peace, he burst into low but bountiful laughter at the situation. "You always wanted to be the talk of the town, well, you got your wish by choosing to rebel." Behind closed doors, the brown-haired teenage hitman had made no attempt to hide his disgust for society's ills, and the shortcomings of the police in curbing those ills. It was that disgust that had allowed the sixty-four-year-old policeman and fifteen-year-old assassin to become…friends. Either that, or something close to it. Birds of a feather they were, but like all things, the time for separation had come and gone. Now he stood here, watching the city from his office over a hundred feet off the ground. He remained here in the high rise while his unlikely compatriot was scurrying somewhere out there in the darkness.

To be honest, this situation didn't exactly surprise him. From the moment he walked into his office, the minute Shido explained Goro's purpose to him, Mitsumoto knew how things would play out. The night of the supposed "Casino Heist", the teenager had done the smart thing and deviated from the plan. How and why, Mitsumoto had spent some off-time speculating.

Turning his back to the rain, he glanced around his office making absolutely sure he was alone. He didn't put it past Shido to bug his office, he'd done it to a good number of his other goons; many of whom had found themselves receivers of unwanted visits…and trips to the hereafter upon saying the wrong thing when they thought no one was looking or listening. To avoid a similar fate, he'd had to take somewhat drastic steps, and do so with such discreet he had to take a moment to remind himself he was an officer of the law. Once he concluded he was by himself, he pulled on the switch positioned near the bottom of his desk. A series of metal clicks sounded and a second drawer hidden beneath the top one pushed itself out.

Akira Kurusu.

Ryuji Sakamoto.

Ann Takamaki.

Yusuke Kitagawa.

Makoto Niijima.

Futaba Sakura.

Haru Okumura.

"What in the hell did you seven do to change his mind?" If anything, Mitsumoto would have given anything to ask that question of the seven teenagers in person. Honestly, looking at their backgrounds, it didn't surprise him how attracted to this little rag-tag band Goro had become. In hindsight, sending a kid who'd never truly had a friend in his entire scorned life to watch a band of equally scorned children who'd banded together probably wasn't the best idea. Regardless, it might have happened regardless of what Shido or any of the other ring-leaders planned. Right now, Shido would have given anything to get his hands on these files, and it was for that very reason Mitsumoto was going to burn them. It was of no matter to him, he'd memorized all the information he needed about the seven teens that made up the Phantom Thieves of Heart.

Except for the cat, he was still working on believing that part.

" _What? You know there exists a parallel world composed of collective human consciousness and thought populated by monsters of the same origin, but a talking cat is too much for you?"_ He'd coolly challenged one afternoon they'd discussed the nature of the "other world". At a later time, he was told by Shido's chief scientist the official term was "Metaverse". Mitsumoto merely chuckled as he at the time, and still did, fine the name rather puny.

" _Can you blame me? Really, this whole thing is starting to sound like a Toei TV show or something."_ He'd responded rubbing his temples. _"I feel like I'll only believe it when I see it."_

" _Mitsumoto-san, with all due respect, even if you did, it'd still take some time to sink in. Trust me on that one."_

That had been a good evening, one of peace for the both of them. If possible Mitsumoto would have liked it if he and the teenager could have one more of those. Glancing back toward the window, he saw another bolt of lightning briefly illuminate the night sky. It seemed something like that just wasn't in the cards apparently.

As he leaned his head back, he covered the right side of his face as he always did whenever his mind drifted off to those dark corners. Mitsumoto could still feel the warmth of the blood that stained his scalp and the ringing in his ears. The noise had haunted his dreams every day for over twelve years, and throwing his lot in with Shido hadn't done anything to ease the haunting melody. If anything, it'd only made it worse.

Mitsumoto didn't have to think hard about why that was. His heart and his brain weren't in agreement, and that was beginning to take its toll on him.

"Sir," Sounded his wall-mounted intercom. "Director Asō is here to see you. Shall I send him up?"

Quickly withdrawing his hand, he collected the files pertaining to the Phantom Thieves. For the foreseeable future, the information recorded in them was going to stay his little secret. "Give me a moment, I'll let you know when to send him in." Though head of the Special Investigators Unit, Mitsumoto still lorded over his bald-headed counterpart, in both position and willpower. Asō had never particularly been his favorite person, but after Shido came on the scene the man had practically ripped his own spine out and gift-wrapped it.

Genta Mitsumoto sat atop the highest seat in terms of law enforcement within the city of Tokyo, yet he might as well have been a simple foot soldier, alone in the field without allies and surrounded by enemies.

Life truly was full of ironies.

* * *

 _ **Niijima Residence, 9:09 PM…**_

"I thought we'd never make it back." Groaned Makoto as she was the first one into the apartment. Almost immediately she made way for the couch where she fell downward, face-first. "Another day, another fruitless search."

Sae didn't have it in her to argue with her sister, mostly because she knew she was right. "At the very least we didn't hear anything about Akechi being…" She still couldn't find it in her to say it, the truth was, she didn't want to say it. Fate had been kind to them in the fact they had picked up no new leads on Akechi, but also hadn't heard any _bad news_ either. She supposed it could have been called a trade-off, granted it was one that left a bitter taste in their mouths.

For three days straight they'd searched, her and the Phantom Thieves, all across Tokyo. The series of events that had unfolded that faithful morning had all but buried the shock she'd felt upon learning her sister was a member of the Phantom Thieves of Heart. Or perhaps learning her partner had been the perpetrator of a murder spree and was busy carving a path of chaos towards a single person had outweighed that revelation. It wasn't until she stepped back into her apartment or allowed her head to hit the pillow did Sae really stop and allow the full weight of things to hit her in full.

At the kitchen sink, she splashed water against her face. _How? How in the hell did things spiral this far out of control?_ Sae thought she knew how the world worked, she thought she had it all figured out, but she was wrong. Dead wrong.

The news was planning, and of course the Phantom Thieves and Akechi's disappearance were the top stories, again. According to their MIA lead, Shido had a firm hold on the news thus it was only natural he'd keep the networks focused on them. God forbid the story change to something else, like real-world issues. Through the droplets that rained down her cheeks, Sae realized in a way, what was unfolding was a real-world issue.

As far as most people were concerned, the Phantom Thieves were actual phantoms, seemingly able to slip into any place to target anyone they deemed deserving of their attention. That had been a good thing at first as it gave the public hope and caused them to root for them. And then Okumura happened; their awe and reverence turned to fear and paranoia as the heroes turned to murders in the minds of onlookers. Sae had learned from her time at the police station and with her colleges people were now terrified of the Phantom Thieves, believing them to be murderous rogues willing to go after anyone who crossed them. The hard-worked reputation they'd built had been completely and utterly turned against them.

Sae had to admit, bitter as it was, Akechi had been right to laugh, the whole thing had worked so well it was criminal.

As they'd searched high and low for Akechi Mother Nature had decided to at first back them with fair weather, but then as night drew on the rain returned. Amazingly, it impeded none of them even as train and bus schedules took something of a hit. Futaba had kept them updated about the news feed, nothing about Akechi came up or on the police radios, though they were certainly looking for him like they were. Sae remembered shivering when the former shut-in patched them through allowing them to listen in one some of the conversations.

 _To think I actually worked with and even admired some of these people a little._ Opening the fridge, she fished out a pair of soda cans for her and her sister. "Makoto,"

Siting upright, the younger of the pair looked more disheveled than her. "Thanks," She took on sip of her drink before sitting it down on the coffee table before them. "I…guess no news is good news in this situation, right?"

Flashing her a soft smile, Sae wrapped her arm around her younger sister. If there was one thing this whole mess had done, it'd at the very least brought the two of them closer together. "Were it the old me, I'd say maybe, this time though, I'm willing to be a little more optimistic. I have you and your friends to think for that."

Makoto smiled. "Sorry about dragging you into this."

"I'd rather be in the thick of it then on the outside, watching and wondering what the hell is going on." She responded. In the time it took to blink, the older Niijima's face turned distant and even sorrowful. "What was he like…when he was…with you all?"

Something in Makoto's gut told her that question was coming. How to answer it though, she'd spent some time contemplating. "Well," she began lowering her head, a slight bitterness finding its way into her eyes. "Even if he was a fake detective, he was a great thief, in fact, without him, we never would have made it through your Palace and stolen your Treasure. At some point…I think it went from him faking it to him…genuinely caring about us."

Sae could believe that. In spite of everything she thought and seen, she could believe something had changed in her partner in the time leading up to the heist focused on her. Most of the changes had been subtle, but looking back, she could put all the pieces together and come out with a clear picture. Sort of. Though the picture was whole, making sense of it was still proving to be a little difficult for her.

"Sis…do you…hate Akechi for what he did?"

That question was expected. "…A part of me does, and I think I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive him for leading me around." Rather than a weight being lifted from her shoulders, Sae felt like a second had been fasten to her, and this one tighter than the last. "That said, I can't just…I just wish…Makoto, how does a person end up like that? I'm supposed to be an adult, and even I don't know! Why didn't he try something else! Why didn't he just wait for…gah!" Almost every detail of Akechi's anger had been seared into her brain.

 _"I chose to act! I decided to become a monster if it meant bringing him down with me when judgement came! If I have to die or spend the rest of my life in a cell then fine, as long he comes with me nothing else matters!"_

 _Was that me? Did I look like that when I… was trying to…_ Thought the prosecutor with closed eyes and a tight lip.

" _I'll win no matter what it takes or who I'm up against!"_

"I…tried looking for any information I could about Akechi's mother. Heh, I don't even know her name, actually, he never…Akechi never brought up his mother once." The thought had always been in the back of her mind, but at Leblanc it'd hit in full force, and the impact had only grown over the course of her search for her wayward partner. "Honestly, I don't know if Akechi erased the records himself or if Shido did it. Neither would surprise me." In all fairness, learning who this woman was might have given her help in understanding the red-eyed assassin just a little better. Who was she, this woman that Goro revered so highly yet seemingly loathed, and who Shido saw as his greatest mistake.

"Akira was the only one he ever really talked about that stuff with." Makoto responded hiking up her legs. A sad smile formed along her face as she turned to her sister. "I…I may come off as a little cliché and optimistic, but I think Akira's the only one Akechi's really opened up to."

There was a part of Sae that refused to admit it, but she felt a little jealous regarding the gray-eyed leader of the Phantom Thieves. Akira Kurusu had seemingly built up a network of trust and cooperation with a multitude of unlikely people, including her own partner. Said partner had revealed more to him than he had her, though Sae believed it was forgivable given how alike the two boys were. Or rather, how similar and different they were.

"To be honest…I can understand a little why Akechi decided to…go in it alone. I did the same thing when I got fed up with always being on the sidelines, unable to do anything."

A twinge of pain shot through Sae remembering that day she'd said those harsh words to her sister. It'd been impulsive and stupid, and it'd sent her sister on a quest that nearly got her killed. Sure, luck had been on her side as it'd led her to the friends she needed, but the danger was still there. Sae had sent her sister into the lion's den, and she didn't know it until a few months later after she'd come within a hair's breath of _kill her herself_. What would their parents have thought of her? What would her father have thought of her behavior before she had her reformation?

Shame. Horror. Disappointment.

Everything she felt in Akechi, she was sure her father would have felt in her.

In silence they watched the news play. The November rain pelted the outside window acting as a soft lullaby for the sisters. It felt like it'd been a lifetime since they'd done something like this, even with the near literal dark cloud hanging over them. Perhaps it was because of that darkness they'd found each other again. Makoto let her duties and responsibilities as a Phantom Thief drift away in favor of simply being back in the arms of her beloved sister again. Sae allowed herself to be reminded she was still human, and like any human being, she wanted affection from someone.

Eventually, the time came for them to rise and continue on for the night, or rather begin preparing to turn-in for the night. At Sae's request, Makoto went to take a shower first. Even though she had to go to work tomorrow, Sae still planned on carving out time to help with the search. Rogue or not, murder or not, Akechi was still her partner.

And like the rest of the Phantom Thieves…Sae was in his debt.

 _"Killing all of us is one thing, but that's your sister over there! She's the last living family you have left, and you'll kill her just so you can win?!"_

"You weren't faking those words." Whispered the gray-haired woman looking to the window with the faint echo of her sister in the bathroom. On that night, she'd seen Akechi in righteous fury and personal fury. In the span of a few hours, the near saintly image of Goro Akechi she had had been shattered and replaced with something…something… _human._ _All those times I thought you were just the perfect little prince charming…and you turn out to be the farthest thing from it as possible. Especially the prince part._ Looking back, Sae could only picture the bitter irony Akechi must have felt whenever people referred to him as the _Prince_ Detective and such. Perhaps he'd found it funny, or based on what she saw he used the irony as fuel to push himself further along the path of damnation, hoping at the end of it he'd take Shido down with him.

 _ **BING!**_

Sighing in annoyance, she headed back toward the kitchen counter. If she had to bet, it was probably one of her co-workers. While the Phantom Thieves and Akechi may have been making headlines, life was still going on in the courtrooms.

Sae was proven dead wrong when she realized the message came from an unknown number. Then she opened it.

"MAKOTO!"

* * *

 **Cliffhanger!**

 **Again, sorry for leaving everyone dry for about a month. As I've come to call it, the "Oasis" arc, is a little over half-way finished. Within the next three chapters or so Goro will be meeting back-up with the Phantom Thieves and the main story will start to move again. I've had to put all this stuff in because it's important for future events and will explain the motives and actions of various characters in the story.**

 **Goro's conversation with Shuya, admittedly, the former sees a lot of himself in the former, when he was younger that is. Realizing that, as well as wanting to repay his debt, he gave him some advice. But it's advice base don how** _ **he**_ **achieved success, but also subtly telling Shuya he can do better since he's got people backing him. Basically, it can be good advice, but it's delivered in a way that's inherently bitter and somewhat dark-sounding, fitting the fact Goro is not a good person, and he's the type who would rub his success into the faces of naysayers. To be honest, the entire scene was inspired by the RWBY song, "Smile", which in my opinion it suits people like Goro very well.**

" _ **Show them how you Smile,**_

 _ **It's only for a while.**_

 _ **Take what you need,**_

 _ **Leave them to bleed.**_

 _ **Let them know bitter while your**_

 _ **Revenge is sweet."**_

 **Genta Mitsumoto will probably be the closest thing to a "Noble Demon" in this story as he's one of the few who doesn't have his head up Shido's ass. And he and Goro have a very personal relationship. His name and character are based off of real-life samurai, Serizawa Kamo. He was the original lead commander of the Shinsengumi as well as a diligent supporter of imperial court beliefs. Also, he was a skilled artist who liked showing his drawings to children. Due to inner-faction scheming he and his allies were eventually assassinated, though the exact identities of his killers remains a mystery to this day. Likely candidates include Hijikata, Okita, and Hajime. Having read all that, you can now speculate on where his storyline will go.**

 **Until next chapter, where Goro will "rank up" another one of his Confidants!**


	16. Chapter 15-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt8

**Well I hope everyone has had a happy and safe holiday. This chapter's a longer than usual since it's quite pivotal so I hope you all enjoy it!**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 15-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt.8 (To the Sky?)**

 _ **Hashioka Residence, 7:59 PM…**_

He was getting used to the feeling of preparing dinner for not just himself but other people. The last time he'd cooked with anyone was when his mother was still alive, and those were times he tried not to think about. Periodically, as he sat alone at a dinner table in a small apartment, comforted by nothing but silence, those times returned to him with painful clarity. After he began surveying the Phantom Thieves, it was like a dam had broken and those times overrode his mind whenever he sat down to eat and dragged on for too long. Strangely, they didn't stop when he…infiltrated their mix, but the feelings he felt for them changed. In almost a whole month his entire world had been rocked.

Natsuo and Shuya had decided on Italian for the night, pizza to be exact. Admittedly, Goro had stood there stunned when they turned to him and asked if he'd ever had pizza before. It was a rather blunt question that he should have been able to answer immediately, yet he couldn't. Seeing Natsuo's slow forming grin gave him the ability to give some sort of response-a shake of the head symbolizing no. Shuya chuckled, then reached for his head telling him he'd explain how the recipe went.

"If neither of you mind me asking, how exactly do you know how to cook so many recipes?" He questioned as the siblings got the ingredients out.

"Our mom," Shuya answered looking over the tomato sauce and such. "She owned a restaurant in Yotsuya, full staff and everything. She didn't stop cooking when she came home, making sure almost every night."

"Mostly me but Shuya once he was old enough to stop throwing food everywhere." Jabbed Natsuo, who merely stuck her tongue out when her brother shot a glare in her direction. "Anyway, it was a nice place that got a lot of students, adults, and everything else you'd expect, oh, and occasional the yakuza used it as a meeting place."

He kept his surprised limited to his eyebrows. "Your mother was involved in the…business as well?"

Spinning on her heel, the flame-haired girl leaned against the counter, measuring cups. "Sorta. Our dad was a loan shark and from time to time he had to do business and needed a meeting place. Mom put up her restaurant as a good place to do that and the rest was serious. People came in, maybe ate a little while they did business, paid their check, and that was that." Seeing the thoughtful look on the former assassin's face, Natsuo grinned. "We aren't starting to sound like some sort of yakuza royals, are we?"

"If you were royals then I imagine you've been exiled considering the state you're living in." He mused looking around him. It wasn't so much the house, which by all appearances was middle class and ordinary, but the simple aura the home gave off along with its occupants. "She must have been quite a cook."

Though sadden, the two siblings smiled at one another than at Goro. Immediately he felt like biting himself for poking that hole, even if they had directed him toward it.

"She was," Spoke the older sibling walking over to Goro before holding out the cup in her right hand. "Now then, me and Shuya may not be at her level, but every night we try, are you willing to give us a hand?"

His lips ticked upward into a smile as he took hold of the pan. Indeed, it had been a while since he'd cooked with anyone, or felt what it was like to actually enjoy dinner. While the shadow of his past still trailed him, it no longer loomed over him like an unseen but felt skyscraper. He was still struggling to understand why and how it had shrunken, but those questions could be saved for after he'd filled his stomach.

Naturally, the Hashiokas lead and he followed in terms of preparation. He followed their instructions to the letter, and even laughed alongside them when he made a mistake they had to step in and correct. Rather surprisingly, Natsuo excelled when it came to the measurements flour and salt. She caught his staring and further grinned at him. In the short number of days they'd known each other, she'd seemingly managed to figure him out. It was slightly annoying, but he could accept it, much in the same way he'd slowly come to accept Akira.

 _Wait a minute, did I really just think that?!_

 _ **You speak as if you've just spoken heresy.**_ Robin Hood's voice was teasing, with his ethereal hand falling atop his shoulder while he quietly attempted to come up with an explanation, scratch that, an excuse. _**Honestly, you're going on as if agreeing with him is like agreeing to castrate yourself. It's getting a little…trifling.**_

 _ **You got a phone so kiss and makeup.**_ Rang Loki. _**Look, with Natsuo and Shuya here, you've got the emotional support you need to apologize to him.**_

 _Apologize for what?!_ Snapped the brown-haired teen while helping prepare the dough.

 _ **For making him, and the others worry.**_ Explained the two Personas in near perfect unison.

He hated it when they double-teamed him, and he hated it when he agreed with them.

Sausage, olives, and pepperoni, that's what he ordered on his. Natsuo fixed her pizza with extra cheese and straight sausage and bacon, a meat-lover's delight as she called it. Shuya went for a more rounded mix like Goro, bacon with pepperoni and of all things, sliced bell peppers. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he noted the irony of his Moon Confidant seemingly having a taste for hot and spicy food. Freshly cooked and steaming, the three teens took a second to collectively inhale the sweet smell of their prepared meal.

"So," Natsuo began watching the brown-haired assassin take his first bite. "What's the score?"

Seconds after he'd taken the first bit Goro's hands went for his drink. With a slightly red tongue, he answered, "Good, good, by far, you're probably the best home cooks I've ever met. Well, to be fair, you two are practically the only home cooks I know. As you two can probably guess, I…haven't been invited over much."

"Hm, I can only imagine." Nodded the flame-colored girl. "Hey, since we were onto something earlier, can you tell me more about this other world and Personas?"

"Per-what?" Shuya asked looking between his sister and new friend. "Did something happen while I was at school?"

"Why yes, dear little brother," Grinned Natsuo leering at the teen directly across from her. Almost immediately, Goro's body began to break out in a sweat as he were her emerald eyes were heat rays. It was rather fitting everything from her name to her personality reflecting her nature as his Sun Confidant, or maybe it was the universe's way of continuously screwing with him. "Goro, we've treated you to dinner, and welcomed into our-"

"I'll tell you both the full story since we're here. Actually," Both his hands lay flat against the table as he leaned back, a look of benign resignation on his face. "Natsuo already knows enough, but Shuya, you…deserve to know my story as well. Beyond that I'm…"

"That you spent the last few years of your life running around killing people and driving them insane to win the favor of a dad who didn't give two shits about you?"

Goro stared dead-eyed at the younger Hashioka, Natsuo promptly burst out laughter. It never ceased to amaze him how one minute Shuya could seem depressed and withdrawn one minute only to be bluntness incarnate the next. Then again, based on what he heard from the boy this afternoon, his problem seemed to lie in learning when to be one or the other. Sighing, he realized now was probably the time for bluntness. What he'd done…well, a criminal family the Hashiokas may have been, they were all he had, and God forbid it, but they were beginning to grow on him.

Over pizza and drinks, he told them the tale of the revenge plan he'd cooked up. As well as the twisted and supernatural world that lay just underneath their noises. Having already gotten a taste of it thanks to their join research venture, Natsuo's reactions were a tad more subdued, but Shuya eagerly leaned in close with his mouth full as he explained detail after detail of the Metaverse. He could hardly blame him for being so invested, the supernatural forces that he believed were resigned to fiction, apparently existed in real life, and they were every bit as dangerous as always made out to be, perhaps a bit more so. Carefully, Goro watched their faces when he told them of the Phantom Thieves, maybe out of caution or some remaining sense of loyalty, either way he kept from using their true names. Instead, he merely addressed them by their code names and kept their descriptions to a minimal. Neither of the Hashiokas reacted much when he informed them of his plan to infiltrate their ranks then betray them.

At first at least.

"So, pretty much every plan you had went bust. Talk about shit-rotten luck." Natsuo whispered seconds before she let out a very undignified burp. "Have you contacted the team yet?"

"Te..am?" Inquired the teenage hitman looking at her with accusing eyes. "Weren't you listening? I'm not a part of their merry little band of-"

"You threw out a plan you'd been crafting for two years and put yourself at risk because you couldn't go through with betraying." Natsuo hotly interrupted. As she wiped her mouth, she returned his icy glare with one of her own. Rather than shiver or get annoyed, Goro felt more curious regarding her. What exactly was she thinking, what did she think of him? "Look, it's been over three days since your place was blown sky-high, I'm sure they're probably-"

"No, no they're not!" Shouted the Persona-user feeling defensive all of a sudden.

"How can you be so sure of that?" Shuya innocently asked. His plat had been all but completely cleaned off save for the crumbs. Unlike his sister, his eyes were more…sympathetic, peaceful even. It was clear their roles from earlier in the afternoon had all but completely reversed. "Sure…you may not have really been on their side before, but they must have felt something for you, enough they were willing to accept you. This Akira did, didn't he?"

Of course, _his_ name had to be brought up. His hands spread across the table while his face fell and his head hung.

"Geez, what is this guy? Your ex-boyfriend or something?" Natsuo groaned.

 _ **You know, she actually-**_

 _Shut-up, Loki!_ Barked the young man just barely averting having the words verbally leave his mouth. Glancing between Natsuo and Shuya, he realized he was trapped in a conversation he had started. "He…he…gah, you don't understand! You guys, I…it's not that easy! I mean…it's complicated!"

 _ **Really, it's complicated? THAT's the best you could come up with?**_ Snorted his trickster Persona craning his head to the side.

His hopes that Robin Hood would be his saving grace were dashed as the archer looked away with a light blush on his face. _**Not to mention it…does sound rather…well, it can give on the wrong idea regarding your relationship with Akira.**_

Defeated and nearly demoralized, Goro allowed his face to fall forward, literally. He shook the dinner table as his forehead made contact with the wood, a soft thud sounding off.

"Did we break him?" Shuya asked seemingly worried.

"Don't know, let me check." Getting out of her seat, she marched over to the drawers then to the sink. When she turned around in one hand, she held a spoon while in the other a glass of cold water. First went he spoon, four pokes and nothing. Shrugging, she raised the glass over his head then readied herself to tip her head.

Goro's right hand shot out like a serpent lunging at its prey, only to be intercepted. It was hard to tell what happened first-Natsuo intercepting his hand or the spoon ng the floor. Emerald green stared long and hard into dark red, all within clear view of Shuya, who watched the showdown with a blank face. Gone was the joking teenage girl the rogue Persona user had steadily grown familiar with, in her place was…something different, something that told him challenging her wouldn't end well for him. Natsuo's other hand hung above his head with the stillness of a statue. It was obvious to Goro that her grip on his wrist wasn't as tight as it could have been, but if he gave her reason to, she could get tighter. Briefly looking over her body, he realized if he made a move, she'd counter him, then it'd turn into a real dinner brawl.

" _And I've lived with a trained killer for five years. What makes you think I can't kick your ass in a fight?"_

Before, he'd dismissed those words as nothing but empty boasting, but now, as he looked into the resolute orbs of his female caretaker, he realized Natsuo might have been speaking the truth.

 _ **This pair of siblings before you, Goro, you'd do well not to underestimate them. After all, are you not living proof the seeming docile sheep can merely be a wolf masquerading as such to draw in its prey?**_

… _Heh…Hehehe…that's right, Robin, that was careless of me, wasn't it?_ Releasing Natsuo's hand, he rose upward thus giving her reason to withdraw. Seeing the edge dull within his eyes, Natsuo allowed her body to slacken and her easy-come easy-go demeanor to return. "Sorry about that, I'm not used to people…making me look that deep inside of myself."

"That explains how you ended up in this situation, but better late than never." Completely dismissing the previous standoff, she gathered her plat as well as Goro's then headed over to the sink. "Even if you don't seem them as your friends, they're still your teammates, the closest thing you have to allies at this moment. I mean, not that me, Shuya, and Uncle Jō aren't all-star material, but you know. They can go to this other world with you."

"Have you thought maybe you're not giving them enough credit? I mean about how they feel about you?" He'd been silent through what he believed to be the most critical part of the conversation, now that they were pass that phase Shuya felt it safe to speak. Or more accurately, he felt like Goro was in the mood to listen. Their early conversation, where he'd remarked how similar they were, now he could really believe it. _If I hadn't met you…would I have turned out that invert?_ "Say, if they already knew what you were up to, then why did they offer you an olive branch? Why not just take it? As it stand now, you don't have a lot of options, do you? I mean, you can only keep being Abarekiller for so long."

"And from the sounds of things you weren't even close to being Abarekiller." Whistled Natsuo now running hot water and soap over the dishes. "Not everyone who works on a team is friends or likes each other, but they all work together to a common goal, see?"

"Wisdom from experience?"

"Sort of," Answered the younger Hashioka. "Our dad worked with all kinds of people he didn't like, you worked with a bunch of people you hated while working for Shido, didn't you?"

He tried to put on a front of not listening, but it failed miserably. His fists clenched and unclenched themselves as he tried to find some hole in their logic, sadly, there was none. The cold hard truth of it was the only thing keeping him from progressing was himself. A lone head ran over the side of his face as he felt like his brain was going to explode. "It's funny you should bring up Abarekiller since I had the color scheme done."

"How so?" Shuya inquired seemingly curious.

Glancing at the two siblings, he let out a heavy-hearted sigh. "When we…the Phantom Thieves cross over into the Metaverse our clothing changes, I'm a special case since I've got two sets of clothes. The set I wore with the Phantom Thieves was…it was a white princely suit with a red bird beak mask. Sounds dorky, doesn't it?"

"I can decide that after I've seen it, so you guys basically henshin, that's awesome!"

Despite rolling his eyes at Natsuo's observation and fist pump, Goro felt himself smile. "Well, we don't have any magical transformation trinkets or…well…" _As Wild Cards, do Personas count as trinkets?_

 _ **Trinkets? Is that all we are to you guys?!**_ Cried Loki turning away with mock tears in his eyes.

He chose to ignore the ramblings of his white and black-colored inner self. "I guess I…might have tried a bit too hard. Maybe…maybe it is time I…called in to let them know I'm still alive."

"See, was that so hard?" Giggled the older sibling. "If you've got people willing to stand with you, don't shrug them off so easily, isn't that right, Shuya?"

Now it was finally the younger boy's turn to be placed in the hotseat. His empty plat seemed a lot more interesting than either of the two teens before him. A light blush crept onto his face as his mind returned to the moments leading up to them picking him up from school. Putting the pieces together, Goro couldn't help but chuckle causing Shuya to glare in his direction. Surprising himself, he merely smiled at the younger boy, slightly nudging him the same way he had nudged him.

Giving a sigh that rivaled his, Shuya finally revealed the truth. "Tomorrow I…I'm going to go to enter some of my artwork in the gallery exposition."

"You are? Great! That's my little brother!" Her hands still wet, Natsuo bounded over to sweep up her little brother in a bear-hug he didn't at all try to fight against. Matter of fact, he seemed to enjoy it.

Now leaning back in his seat, Goro chuckled. "You know, I remember you already saying he'd go, so this isn't really that much of a game-changer."

The girl with hair the color of flames caught the quick but well-meaning wink the Persona-user shot her little brother. Knowing any verbal confirmation of it would off-set him, she remained silent, though at heart she felt happy seeing the teenager open up a bit more.

"It's just…well, tomorrow…can you say hi to mom for me?" Said the younger of the two.

Goro's eyes went wide hearing the words and realizing the conversation had just shifted back into serious territory.

Sympathy swelled in Natsuo's eyes as she placed her little brother down. "You know I will, I'll tell her how you're doing." The boy with two alter egos jumped when the emerald eyes swerved to her. "Goro, I know you've had a bit of a crazy week, but how do you feel about coming to go see our mom?"

 _No._

 _No._

 _No._

"W-W-Would s-she…y-y…yes, y-yes. I-I-I mean i-i-if i-it's not too much trouble." He responded instinctively bowing his head.

Why did he say yes? Why didn't he refuse? Why didn't he make up some sort of excuse as for why he couldn't go? Scratch that, actually why he _shouldn't_ go. Those questions bounced around in his head as he got up to help do the dishes. They still swirled in his head when Jō came home and they told him of their plans for tomorrow. Upon learning Goro would be visiting his sister-in-law, he merely looked to him and said one sentence.

" _Look after her when you go out."_

Being entrusted to take care of someone, it was an alien notion that he'd never really understood. Part of that was because he'd been the one entrusted to others…and they'd failed to look after him, in spades.

 _ **That's part of growing up, Goro.**_ Robin told him.

 _ **Painful and irritating as it may be, that's how you know you're moving up in the world.**_ Echoed Loki.

An hour and a shower later and he was sitting in his room, staring at his phone. The Metaverse app had appeared on the homepage as if it'd always been there. Groan after groan, he pulled readied himself to text a message to the Phantom Thieves only to stop before he could even type in a single word. It was getting frustrating.

Jō had told him calls made from the phone would be untraceable. While he trusted him, he also knew not to underestimate Futaba so that left him at a bit of a deadlock.

 _ **What if they are indeed worried about you?**_ Offered Robin materializing on the side of his bed, his back turned to him thus giving Goro a sideways view of his cape.

 _ **If they are, doesn't that bother you a little, making them worry for your safety?**_ Like Robin, Loki's back was turned to him, what with sitting at the head of the bed. _**Those idiots…they're the real deal, and that might not be such a bad thing, ya' know. Besides, if not them,**_ Rather than a chill of fear, he felt something…different when Loki's grinning face turned backward to look at him. _**What about Sae? She's the closest thing you have to a mother, do you want to lose her too?**_

In the darken silence of his room, Goro could finally speak openly to his Personas. "She…she was never mine. She's…she's a person I laid around like a fool."

 _ **Yet you fought so hard to shield her when you could.**_ Softly countered Robin keeping his gaze forward, though Goro could hear the smile in his voice. _ **Part of working with a team…is learning how to trust the people around you. Akira, for all reasons, trusted you, and you proved him right. Why not continue the chain, after all, Sae is a link for both of you, isn't she?**_

Before he even knew it, the text book stared back at him with his fingers hovering above the keyboard. He slammed his eyes shut then opened them again and again if trying to awake from a dream that was slowly becoming a nightmare. As if to complete the cliché, a pair of hands gripped his managing to cease the lightning storm that were his nerves. First was Robin's, overshadowing his fingers as if to give them strength. Then came Loki, holding his hands like a parent would their child, sending waves of encouraging love through the skin contact. Annoying as they may have been, they stood with him as they'd done countless times before.

 **?: It's me, Akechi. I know you all must have many questions, but I am…safe, or as safe as I can be. As you may have suspected, Shido sent his hitmen after me, and obviously they failed. Though they did succeed in pissing me off. Anyways, once again, I am…alive, so please, focus on stopping Shido like you promised you would. I will contact you all when I feel its safe enough.**

With his arms feeling like burning straw, he hit the send button sending out the message to Ann, Ryuji, Yusuke, Makoto, Futaba, and Haru. No sooner had he done so did he feel a sharp jolt run through him. Biting his lip, he punched in a new address, wondering if this would be when he finally hit the steel wall he knew he'd been approaching for almost an entire year. If he was going to slam into it, why not go headfirst, at least that way he'd die on impact and save himself some pain.

 **?: Sae, if you're getting this, I want you to know it's me. Your father was shot a total of six times by an illegally bought SIG Sauer P226, the bastard who sold it to the bastard who used it to kill your father is now sitting in a cell at Nagano Prison.**

 **For…whatever the hell it's worth, I'm…I'm sorry.**

 **I'm…keeping out of trouble and…re-thinking my train of thought as I'm sure you'd want me to do. Or scream for me to. I've even gone these past couple of days without sushi.**

 **Like I said, I'm…taking some steps back to reevaluate the road I've taken. I won't make you any promises, mostly because by now you've probably realized my word isn't good for anything. Even so, I want you to know that I'm…I'm really sorry. I'm sorry for everything. When we see each other again, if we see each other again, anything you want to say or do to me, you're fully entitled to do so.**

He stared at the screen with terrified eyes; his fingers moved on their own sending the text across miles upon miles to wherever his silver-haired partner, former partner, was. Slamming his eyes shut, he placed the phone against his forehead, asking himself again and again what the hell had he just done. Once more, he'd crossed the Rubicon as there was no going back.

Why wasn't that seemed to be the only constant in his life? Besides rejection and misery of course.

 _ **Goro,**_ Spoke Robin Hood with caution.

 _ **Aren't you going to let HIM know that you're still breathing?**_ Finished Loki.

Three breaths in and out, his hand fell back into his lap with the smartphone with it. Feeling as if he'd just ran a marathon the rogue Wild Card fell backward thus causing his back to hit the wall. "He can figure out it out from the others. Besides…if he knows me as well as he thinks he does…he'll realize I…still need some time before I can…"

The two Personas quietly bowed their heads as they decided their master had made good enough ends for the day. Fading away into nonexistence before his eyes, Goro was left alone in the dark silence of his room. He'd cross yet another bridge, and like the rest it had collapsed into a black abyss seconds after he was safely across. Before him lay a dark jungle timing with unknown dangers, one of which could finally be the end of him. It was nothing new, he had no way back and only one way forward so that was the direction he'd go. When he came across the next bridge, well, winging it had seemed to work so far, so why break a successful trend, huh?

* * *

 _ **November 19**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 10:34 AM**_

 _ **Aoyama-itchome Station…**_

It had been a while since he was able to enjoy Super Hero Time with company, good company, and have a hearty meal with the same people. To be frank, it was quite refreshing, so much so that a part of Goro wished it would never have to end. Jō volunteered to look after Shuya for the day, though all of the youngster suspected he truly wanted to go to the art gallery since he'd often encouraged his nephew to pursue his artistic desires. All in all, it was one of the most serene Sunday mornings Goro had in a good while. The way things had progressed put him at ease while he and Natsuo got ready for their day. He was told they would be going to Minato which got his mind racing.

At this point, he was beginning to get used to his disguise, which should have either worried him or put him at ease. When he looked out the window, he saw a light shower had passed over the city causing him to sigh. Though the forecast had said today would be the last day of rain he wasn't about to hold his breathe; for that reason, he was going to be the one carrying an umbrella. Patiently, he waited at the doorway quietly tapping his foot against the floor. After the eighteenth tap Natsuo came down the stairs dressed and ready to go.

Her hair had been tied down into a wild yet somewhat elegant-looking ponytail while her flaming locks framed her face. Somewhat sheepishly, he stared at her for a minute longer than he should have. Like him, she too was dressed in a jacket to stay warm and dry, albeit hers was light brown in contrast to his dark blue. Matching brown rain boats adorned her feet while two leather bags hung from her right shoulder. One was tree bark-brown that looked somewhat worn to his eyes while the other was more personal. Just barely, he could make out something stitched onto the front, a letter or symbol?

They entered the Minato Ward through the Toei Ōedo Line. He was worried, naturally, what with venturing into what had come to feel like the "outside world" while he was still getting back on his feet. Surprisingly, he wasn't alone as Natsuo seemed rather jumpy the entire ride there. Though deeply unsure of himself, he placed a comforting hand atop hers', silently reminding her that they were both running the risk together. When she smiled back at him, he turned away, feeling a sudden wave of heat wash over his cheeks. In the corners of his mind his Personas snickered like immature children.

Aoyama was just as lively on a rainy Sunday as it would have been on a normal weekday. Following a quick glance around he readied himself for the somber meeting he knew would take place. A flower shop was the first place Natsuo took him to, naturally. He kept respectfully silent as he continued his vigil for any signs of danger, her items were bought and paid for allowing them to move on, but that's when things changed.

Goro had been to Aoyama a handful of times, enough to know where certain landmarks were and how to get to them. For starters, Aoyama Cemetery, one of the most famous and cemeteries in all of Tokyo and home to thousands of dead.

They were going in the wrong direction to reach the cemetery.

 _Wait a minute,_ He thought as they rode a bus taking them due southeast of the station they'd entered Minato from. _They kept using past tense to refer to their mother, if she's not dead then what else could she be?_

The answer took form when she beckoned him to stand up upon reaching their stop. A short walk through a block later and Goro's mouth nearly dropped when the saw the building they were standing before: Sanno Hospital.

He'd never made personal visits to hospitals so this was his first. Coming through the doors and stepping into the massive and elaborate lobby, Goro felt his legs suddenly turn into blocks of cement. Natsuo directed him to take a seat while waited in line to sign in at the front desk. Some unknown reflex caused him to hold out his hand to hold the flowers she'd bought, again, she smiled as she handed them off to him.

 _What the hell am I doing?_ Thought the teenage rogue taking a seat in one of the many black seats in the lobby. It was sparsely packed with no one on the piano, thankfully, he wasn't sure he wanted music playing.

 _ **Even if there was, I doubt they'd hold a candle to Nameless' playing. I tell ya', that man truly did have some magic fingers.**_

 _Nameless? Who's that?_ Questioned Goro.

Directly across from him, sitting in an empty chair, Loki grinned at him. _**A resident of the Velvet Room, you should ask about him next time. The place was a lot more jammin' when he and Belladonna were providing good 'ole background music while you kiddies talked with the Nose.**_

He wanted to press his Persona for more information, but Loki wasn't in the mood as he shimmered out of existence. Sighing in annoyance, he looked around him finding no one had taken note of his existence. Good.

"Hey, you feeling okay?"

Natsuo was worried about him, he could see it in her eyes. "Fine, or as fine as I can be. Lead the way."

Up the central stairway, to the left and down a few hallways. Goro made sure to stay one step behind Natsuo, either out of respect or fear. In his ears echoed his own solitary heartbeat, sounding like a steady drum signaling his coming doom. A few doors down he saw a number open and out came a female doctor. Natsuo's face lit up ashes ran ahead to greet her while Goro kept his pace and remained off to the side. Her name was Loyola, Loyola Mitsuni. Her bright blue eyes sharply contrasted to her dark-brown hair and somewhat lighter skin, yes, she had western blood in her, possibly American or French as she picked up a few of the latter in their short conversation. When they turned to him Goro once again felt her cheeks heat up causing him to look away, they naturally giggled in response.

Dr. Mitsuni bowed to him before leaving them alone, he looked back to find Natsuo holding the door open. Sucking in a quick breath, he put one foot in front of the other until he was inside.

"Hey, mom, I'm back, and I brought company."

Standing there in front of the shut door, Goro once again questioned how was it he'd come to this point. He was an assassin, a hitman, a killer, a murder, and lastly, a bastard. He belonged in the streets or in a prison cell, not in a hospital room standing before a comatose woman.

He could see where his female companion's looks had come from, Natsuo's mother's hair was just as fiery as hers, albeit he could see a few strands of gray in some areas. Her skin wasn't exactly pale, but it wasn't quite what one would associate with perfect health either; it reminded him unsettling of his mother's skin during the few days before she…

 _Stop that. This isn't about you, it's about her, and besides, at least now I can see that Natsuo and Shuya's mother is…is…alive._

Noticing he was standing stiff as a statue, Natsuo decided to act. Placing her coat atop a chair, she moved over and gently took his hand. Guiding him before the bed, she spoke, "Mom, this is Souta, no, this is Goro Akechi, that kid detective I've told you about." The softness of her voice, the fragility of it, overrode any curiosity he felt about what she'd spoken of him before. "Goro, this is my mother, Fumino."

"U-Um, h-hello." He bowed despite knowing the woman couldn't see or even hear him. It was customary, it was what he owed the Hashiokas. Glancing to his side, he found Natsuo staring at him, near unseen tenderness in her emerald orbs. She knew the truth as well as he did, but she appreciated the show of respect.

Outside, the rain had picked up a bit creating a soft pander pattern that breathed sound into the almost entirely quiet room. The heart monitors beeped along working in tandem with the raindrops to create a soft melody the two teens could lose themselves in. Lying on the desk to the far right of the room stood a Chinese vase filled with flowers that were beginning to wilt. Not wasting a minute, Natsuo threw them into the trash while replacing them with the freshly bought roses, tulips, and bellflowers. Though he wasn't quite as knowledgeable as someone like Haru, he knew of enough about flower language to realize should she not be here if her mother awoke, she was still loved and supported by her family.

Goro felt his gut clench as he took the seat by the window, closest to the rain and cold outside world. Natsuo took the seat by the bed almost putting her back to him. He preferred it that way as he needed the space.

Or maybe he just wanted to act as a defensive wall between this girl and the harsh reality that lay just outside the window.

"Good news, we're breaking Shuya out of his shell!" She began looking to her comatose mother with a bright smile as if nothing was out of the ordinary. "He's not here today because he's showing his work at a gallery, a professional gallery. Uncle Jō's with him to make sure he's okay so don't worry. Speaking of Uncle Jō has just about kicked his smoking habit, no seriously. From time to time he still grumbles, but I think I can hook him on chewing bubblegum or something. He did say when he went to America, he got a taste for gummy worms so I'm gonna give those a try."

Closing his eyes, Goro tried to detach himself from the conversation, but Natsuo had other ideas. He nearly jumped in his seat when he felt her hand fall atop of his.

"This guy here's been a big help with Shuya and at Cloud Eight, it's thanks to him that Shuya's gotten a bit bolder." The way she winked at him told him she knew, Shuya might not have told her every detail of their talk, but she'd seen the effects. She was…grateful to him, that realization made Goro's stomach begin to churn and twist and in new and uncomfortable ways. "You know how I always said there was something about him that seemed a bit funny? Turns out golden boy's not as squeaky clean as everyone thought, heh, go figure. Turns out you were right again."

At that, his eyebrow raised as he once more wondered what initial thoughts Natsuo held of him before they met face-to-face. Given his luck, he imagined it was nothing too flattering, not that he didn't think he warranted such thoughts.

"He's a bit of a dick, but he's also a pretty interesting guy, don't worry, he's behaved himself while staying at home." She giggled causing Goro's eyebrows to further rise and his face near morph into a scowl. "You always said you'd throw a party the day I finally brought home a boy, but I really didn't bring him home, Shuya did. I just sorta helped get him into the shopping cart then pushed him along."

"I'm sitting right here, you know." Grumbled the brown-haired teen.

"Then why don't you speak to her yourself?" She coolly shot back turning to him with a smirk. "Come on, it's not like she's going to bite."

Who was he doing this for? Her or himself? He couldn't tell as he stood up and hovered over the comatose form of Fumino Hashioka. Uncomfortable didn't even begin to describe what he was feeling at the moment. "I-I-I, um, t-t-thank you for allowing me to stay with y-y-your family. Y-You've r-r-raised two wonderful children."

He'd lit the fuse to the match, and the explosion came hard and fast. "Ah, thank you!" Quick as a snake, she'd grabbed Goro by the neck and was hugging him, sending his already fried brain into complete and total meltdown. "I'll make sure to tell Shuya you said that, but before then," He was wrong, he hadn't gone into a meltdown before, when she kissed his cheek, that was when he well and truly went off. Natsuo remained in her seat, giggling like a naughty child as he stumbled backward holding his cheek, his face becoming a shade of red to rival Ann's Phantom Thief suit.

 _ **Goro, we're so proud of you.**_ Loki howled wiping an invisible tear from his eyes.

 _ **A kiss from a maiden, treasure it, young master.**_ Robin was just as amused, maybe more so.

The comedic mood didn't last long. Natsuo got off one more laugh before she turned back to her mother, eyes heavy with distant sorrow. Instantly, control was regained and Goro retook his place at Natsuo's side.

"I…think I may have picked up some new leads on the case. Uncle Shibata helped me puck up the trail again, I'm not sure if it'll lead me anywhere significant, but I'm gonna try." Her hand reached out and found her mother's, she raised it close to her head as she leaned in. It took every ounce of Goro's power to not place a comforting hand on her shoulder, though for the life of him he couldn't understand why he wanted to. Natsuo's voice was strong, but it was fragmenting if only a little. "Listen, I know it's gonna be dangerous, as usual, I'll be careful. Hopefully the next time I come back, I'll have some good news. Heh, with any lucky, I'll be able to bring Shuya and Uncle Jō with me."

He finally acted. Silently, his hand fell atop of Natsuo's, completely startling her. She looked to him with fragility in her eyes. He looked back to her with honesty and serenity, two traits he hadn't shown to anyone in years. No words left his mouth as they were transmitted through his touch.

Goro knew what he was doing was a fool's errand, but he was a fool, therefore, stupid was in his makeup. Some days it was irritating, but other days…it made him feel like a decent human being.

Unknown to either of the teens, the rain outside had come to a stop with the concrete-gray clouds loosen. Even if its was as thin as a strand of hair, a ray of light poked through.

* * *

 _ **Shinjuku, 3:09 PM…**_

"Thank you, for…for coming with me, for everything." She started.

"Don't mention it, maybe it was…actually what I needed." Shrugged the brown-haired hitman.

In the near three hours they'd left the Sanno Hospital the sky had greatly cleared up, and with it came an outpouring of activity. They could have chosen to go straight home, but Natsuo decided against that with Goro agreeing to go wherever she wanted. Akasaka Library, he'd never personally been there himself, but Natsuo had, multiple times. As it turned out it was one of her most frequent stops whenever she finished visiting her mother; rather than look alone she had him, Goro actually found himself enjoying the library as he and Natsuo spent little over an hour walking up and down the aisles. She'd checked out some books and even convinced him to check some out himself. What resistance he tried to put up easily crumbled before her, afterwards, they went for lunch.

Goro managed to keep remarkable calm as one of the TVs set up in the restaurant was playing the news. Natsuo respectfully kept the conversation limited to topics such as schoolwork, hobbies, and the most embarrassing moments of his life. It was rather obvious the last week had proven to be a good contender as he listed off the situations he'd found himself in curtesy of the Hashiokas.

Even after all that he didn't directly return home. What Natsuo had done when they returned to Shinjuku was guide him to off all things, a multi-story office building that was apparently closed for the day. Apparently, it was a printing label, one that ran papers for the Korean community of Ōkubo. Fittingly enough, the guard who let them in was Korean, and another friend of the family.

Gye Chung-Ho was large, rather startlingly large. Boarding on a full six feet one, he could understand how he'd landed a security job at the press. What he couldn't understand was how Natsuo was able to greet him like an old friend, at least until he heard her say something to him in Korean that caused him to laugh. He took one look at her then to him, a thin smile tugging at his lips before he gave her a key to the stairwell. On the way up the stairs to the rooftop Goro asked her how he knew him, she replied she went to school with his son and that her family helped his own when they moved to Japan. Goro was continuously taken back by the odd yet tight-knit circle of friends that the orange-haired girl seemed to possess, much like him.

They came at a good time as the sun had well and truly come out after spending days obscured by a sheet of black and gray. Puddles lay all over the rooftop thought Natsuo didn't seem to mind too much. He noticed a set of fold-up chairs and a table splayed out toward the far-right edge of the rooftop; clearly using the top floor as a getaway wasn't a novel idea. Thankfully, he believed they were alone.

So, here it was they sat, side-by-side, their faces to the sun and the populace of Shinjuku over a hundred feet beneath them. To Natsuo's right lay a stack of books and notebooks, which she'd carried with her in her bags. Her hand reached out for when while the other searched for a pen, once she had it, she immediately began writing.

"You know, I never thought I'd be here. Almost a week ago I was sneaking through the streets barefoot and forced to salvage clothing from dumpsters." It was…surreal how easily those memories came back to him, and yet what anger he should have felt at them was minimal.

"Well, that's life." Natsuo offered crossing her legs. She'd clearly mastered the art of talking while writing, a skill Goro was somewhat impressed with. "One minute you're riding high, the next you're eating dirt, then you're back up again, provided you have the strength to stand."

"I didn't stand on my own though." He stated tightening his hands into fists. "I…I had help."

Briefly, her emerald eyes flickered to him. "And is there something wrong with that?"

His fists unfolded themselves as his head fell and his shoulders sagged. "No one's ever done that for me before. Taken…heh, I looked pretty pitiful when you found me that day, didn't I?"

"Yep." Her voice was sing-song which caused him to chuckle. "Don't beat yourself up over it, everyone has a day when life sucker-punches them, anyone who doesn't is BSing you." Having obviously struck a cord with him, she laid down her pencil and notebook to fold her hands as he looked to her. "Would you believe me if I told you I used to live in an upscale apartment in Yotsuya, like a twentieth of thirty-floor apartment?"

His answer was cool and measured. "I can believe it. While I imagine your mother made enough to keep you all feed, your father's…occupation must have brought home some sizable income, especially if he worked for one of the large syndicates."

She laughed seeing a bit of his detective side coming out. Though he called himself a fake, Natsuo believed otherwise. The intelligence was there, it'd only been misdirected. "Bingo, our dad…he did some nasty stuff, because of him, quite a number of people have either been killed, crippled, or traumatized. I know that makes him a horrible man, a bastard, someone who deserved to be locked up…but he was our dad and he took care of us." A soft smile worked its way up to her face as she gazed at the sun. "Sure, there were times work would get him down and even follow him home, but he loved us; me, Shuya, and our mom. Uncle Jō said he was always the ones doing the cheer ups for other people, but we did it for _him_."

"He loved you, all of you." It was…it was too easy to see that, too easy for him to picture Natsuo and Shuya's father carrying out extortion on one end then becoming a family man as soon as he stepped through the door into his home. A man normally reviled by society, yet loved by his family, the irony was almost too much.

"My mom wasn't exactly squeaky clean either." Came Natsuo's voice. "When she…met my dad, she knew he was involved in gang business. Her parents told her not get involved, she did so anyways because she really loved my dad that much. It was her choice to offer her restaurant as a meeting place, for a price of course."

"Naturally." He chuckled which in turn got her to laugh. "Please, go on."

"She wasn't involved in anything major, but she knew the ins and outs of the yakuza, and they knew a bit about her to the point they'd drop by for a bite and to talk. Sometimes me and Shuya were there. Literally, sometimes we had lunch and dinner with guys who'd either served out ten plus years or would have if they ever got caught."

Goro whistled. "Sounds like quite a life, it may not have been…ideal by society's standards, but you were happy, weren't you?"

Her head fell back with a blissful smile on her face. "Hell yeah, I was." Then the smile fell. "I don't know if the police talked about it, but the syndicate my dad worked for, it was taken over. By force." Acid began to drip into her voice while her face remained frighteningly passive. Goro was very aware of the feeling running through Natsuo at the moment-hate, hatred so pure it had turned into ice that could freeze the fires of hell. "While we were at the restaurant closing up with a few friends, they showed up, no, they turned the place into a shooting range. My dad screamed for us to get out while he grabbed a gun with his buddies. Later I…found out they'd…shot him, three times…then stabbed him to death."

It'd been personal. Being shot any less than six times one could chalk up to precaution, but with melee weapons it tended to be personal. Being stabbed to death after no doubt already having taken a few bullets, Mr. Hashioka had no doubt attempted to fight back and they rewarded him with a few stabs to the gut. He could only imagine the scene that was left behind for the officers to find, or for Jō himself.

"They ran over our mom."

He could literally feel his heart skip a beat as he snapped his head to Natsuo. She sat hunched forward, eyes staring at a distant memory with a familiar emptiness. To her, no longer was the sun shining, it was now a dark and cold night, and the only sound in her ears was the racing of her heart and that of her brothers.

"Their orders were clear, no witnesses so they came after us. Shuya couldn't stop crying, not that I could blame him." She continued reaching out to her right to rip out a piece of paper from her notebook. "We ran into the alleys, ducking and hiding like rats because that's what we were. They were going to kill us, no doubt about that. These were men who'd spent almost their entire lives in organized crime so they didn't bat an eye at taking out a couple of kids. It wasn't like one of those movies were the gangsters had some sort of moral code, their only code was getting the job done."

He hesitated to speak. "Is…that when…Jō found you two?"

"That was only after I shot two of them."

Again, his heart stopped and his eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. His mouth a welded straight line, he watched Natsuo fold up the sheet of paper in her hand as if they were discussing actors in suits.

"I hid Shuya behind some dumpsters while climbing up some stairs. The first guy never saw me coming, or the broken beer bottle I had in my head. I managed to nick his neck before he threw me down to the ground; let me tell you, those guys that do pro wrestling are _living_ _stone_. I scrambled for the gun and pulled the trigger the first second I turned around. Luck was with me, I hit him right in the chest." She held up a freshly made paper airplane with what had to be one of the cheeriest smiles he'd ever seen. "I became a murderer at eleven years old, so no offense, but I got you beat, Prince Detective!"

Self-defense, that's what he wanted to shout yet his mouth wouldn't say those words. "What about the second guy?"

The airplane flew off into the distance, riding the afternoon wind as if it were a living bird. "Eh, it took me a few tries. He didn't think I had it in me when he cornered me and Shuya. I proved him wrong when I shot out his leg. To be frank with you…it took me a while to remember it clearly, but that's just it-I can remember it _so_ clearly when I focus on what I felt at the time."

"Fear and rage." Goro said, eyes shining with sympathy. Another airplane flew. "Through the adrenaline, you knew this was one of the men driving the car that ran over your mother, you hated him for that and that helped you pull the trigger."

She paused in crafting another airplane to absorb his words. For a brief second, a spark of life returned to her eyes. "Everyone told me it was self-defense, but they're wrong. The first one was self-defense, the second one…even if he wasn't raising the gun at me, I think I still would have shot him. I think that's when I…knew."

"Knew what?" he feigned.

Her smile was sad yet oddly hopeful, "That maybe I had a little 'bad blood' in me. I got off two shots when one would have done it. When they found me and Shuya almost an hour later, I held a gun to the police because I didn't trust them. My dad had told me some of law enforcement was on the take so I didn't know. How do you think it would have looked if I shot a cop?"

"But you didn't." He offered hoping he could pull her back from the direction he was going. He was already in that place and he didn't want her joining him.

 _ **Maybe you're not listening or seeing,**_ Chimed Loki from his back. _**Goro,**_

 _ **You are not alone.**_

Natsuo shrugged as she began to draw various designs on the latest airplane. Her face bent in concentration as she grew more and more detailed until she was satisfied and could begin folding. "My mom didn't die, but those bastards put her in limbo. They hooked her up to a machine and said all we could do was hope for the best. I wanted to punch the doctors in the face hearing that."

"I can sympathize."

"Afterward…our uncle came to pick us up. They'd set our mom's place on fire, you know, destroy all evidence and that. In one night…we'd lost everything…and the world continued to turn."

His mouth twitched at that line. "They never found the culprits, did they?"

Goro's voice was empty just like hers', he already knew the answer to the question. "A payment here and there, plus our reputation. Why the hell would they have done anything? My dad was a debt collector also wanted for questioning for several possible murders and extortion, my mom was considered an accessory to extortion, blackmail, and money laundering. As far as the world was concerned, it was just two pieces of human filth taken to the hereafter."

"But two children had just lost their parents." Muttered the Persona user.

Natsuo shrugged. "The world didn't care, life went on. What money my dad put away in case something happened to him or mom was stolen. No one was in a hurry to track it down, and some would have argued we didn't deserve it because of its source." The newly designed paper airplane, now sporting darken stripes and colored dots giving it a somewhat dynamic appearance, took flight like all the others. "If it weren't for Uncle Jō, we would have ended up in foster care."

"You would have ended up in hell." Goro growled catching Natsuo's eye. A moment later and he regained control, enough so he didn't look like an animal about to pounce. "I'm…I'm sorry about-"

"Don't be, I've heard those words enough times in my life to the point I've gotten sick of hearing them." That he could understand. "Shuya cried himself to sleep in my arms, and I had to sit there and wonder how in the hell would I tell him that our parents weren't coming back, that we couldn't go home again."

"Your whole world…it's gone."

"Yeah, but I realized I still had something left." The corner of her lips ticked upward, the spark of life returned to her eyes and this time it remained there. "When he woke up, he cried and I cried. Holding him in my arms…I realized I still had him, and I was all he had left. My world was shattered, but I still had a few pieces left. After a while, I realized I had another piece-Uncle Jō. Those two…they're my world, and if anyone tries to hurt them, I _**will**_ kill them if I have to."

With the humidity from the rain, the air was rather hot and stifling, yet the wind that caressed Goro's body was…cold. As if he were coming from a hot summer day, the invisible wall of air cooled him down, wrapping him in a tight embrace that dissolved his anxiety. Quite strange considering Natsuo had turned to look at him with eyes that old him _**he**_ would become an enemy of the flame-haired girl if he put her loved ones in the crossfire. In spite of knowing how dangerous he was, she was ready to fight him to the death to protect what she loved.

"You know…I'm envious of you." It was his turn to let his head fall back so his eyes could stare longlining into the multi-colored sky above him. "My mother's name was Mirai, Mirai Akechi. She…after Shido got her fired from her job, after she…after she gave birth to me, she started experiencing bipolar depression. One minute she was happy as could be, the next she was a depressive shut-in. There were bad days…and good days, and then it all became too much for her. It took three days for the neighbors to notice something was wrong, by then her corpse had already started to get some flies busying around it. Stupid me, I tried to stop them in spite of not even being tall enough to cut the rope she hung herself with." Tears slipped from his eyes and raced down his cheeks. "Do you think it's wrong to cry and mourn for someone who slapped you, screamed at you and told you to get out?"

Warmth, gentle and soothing like a fireplace, As her hand wiped away the tears, she placed it flat against his cheek. "Did she love you?"

His eyes shut in a vain attempt to stop the tears from flowing, yet they still did. "She'd always apologize, always apologize to me. I don't know if it was because she couldn't do better for me or because she regretted birthing me into a world that had only pain and suffering waiting for me."

Natsuo held his cheek until he could finally stem the wave of tears. She was respectfully silent as he collected himself, just as he was at the hospital.

Out across the horizon the sun had begun its slow but eventual descent causing the sky to darken, though not with gray or black as it'd done so earlier.

"If you loved her, and she loved you, then she's worth fighting for."

"Huh?"

Sitting there, inhaling and exhaling through her nose with her hair tussling in the wind, Natsuo looked several years older, physically and mentally. "Not a day goes by when I don't think about my parents. If I could…I'd give anything to avenge them, to find the bastards who took them from me and Shuya and make them pay in blood. I won't call it justice, I've heard that word tossed around so many times I've gotten tired of it, besides, I won't leave it in the hands of the courts. My parents were criminal scum as far as the world was concerned, but they were _**my**_ family and I loved them from the bottom of my heart. Call it revenge, call it justice, I don't care, but one day…I want to see those bastards hang, and that's why I stay in the game."

"Your mother's case," The young hitman deduced.

She nodded. "I know…it may not go anywhere, it may get me killed or hurt, but I've already been hurt. That night, I had a piece of myself ripped out that I'm never getting back, and I've stopped trying to pretend I will, or someone will give it back to him. When you were in my room, did you see what I painted on the ceiling."

"You're a fan of bugs and the color green?" Smiling was easier than he thought it would be.

The dazzling smile she'd shown him so often before returned causing Goro's heart to flutter. "Besides having an _**awesome**_ beat, it's what I believe in. Holding Shuya in my arms that night, I realized holding out for some sort of miracle was bullshit, so I'd depend on myself. I'll use everything I have to advance my goal, all while being myself. When I came back to school, everyone treated me like a freak, I decided, 'fine, call me a loser, I'll show you all up by becoming successful'." Her fist suddenly jetted out to the sky. "I am Natsuo Hashioka, proud daughter of a yakuza debt collector, and I will succeed, and when I do, I'll throw it in the faces of those who looked down on me. Let them hate me for all they want, I'll hate them right back; they say I can't do it, I'll pass with flying colors and not look back!"

"And if someone or something gets in your way?" Inquired the red-eyed teen feeling his heart beginning to race.

Her grin went from bombastic to outright malicious. Gone was the bonfire, in its place was a wildfire just barely contained and ready to explode outward. "Then I'll punch, kick, claw, and smash my way through it. I told you, I'm _**not**_ a nice person. If someone gets in my way, they get the hell out of the way or I make them move by any means necessary."

At first, Goro was silent, then he laughed. It wasn't exactly hearty but it was at least a little uplifting. At first. "That…that sounds…like something I…wish I could do."

 _ **SMACK!**_

"Ouch! Hey!"

Like a flash of lightning, Natsuo's face had gone from darkly determined to annoyed as she held up the notebook in her hand. "Geez, were you not listening to _one_ word I said?"

"Which was?" Snapped the male.

Crossing her arms, the writer glared at him. "If I could do it, why can't you? I've gotten the shit kicked out of me multiple times, and here you are mopping like a child. You're alive, you're standing here, so you've still got the strength to fight and fly, right?"

His expression went blank as she burrowed into the depths of his soul. Within said depths, two ethereal being smiled. Slamming her notebook down, she grabbed him by the hand and hoisted him to his feet. So stunned was he couldn't stop her until they were standing at the railing. Below them timed the streets filled with hundreds of people going about their daily lives. Natsuo pointed to the masses with one finger while looping her other around Goro's shoulder.

"Worms, that's all most people are, crawling along the ground from place to place. It sucks, but for people without that special something, that's how life goes." The finger swerved from the masses back to him; Goro felt rather uncomfortable having her pressed so close to him, yet something told him not to move against her. "Goro, _you're not a worm_ , you're a bird. You told me your code name with the Thieves was Crow, will, you know the relationships between birds and worms, right? You aren't like everyone else, you aren't bound to crawl along the ground. You can go there," The sky had begun transforming into a myriad of dark and bright colors like an artiest had splashed all of his paint onto a signal sheet then watched the colors bleed over into each other. "You've got wings that can take you wherever you want to go and beaks and claws to fight off anything that comes after you. Why aren't you using them?"

"I…I…"

"Are you scared of failing? Are you going to quit?"

"Like hell I am!" Shrugging her off, he returned the fire in her eyes with flames of his own. Passionate hatred and life rushed through him and filtered out through his voice. "I don't care what anyone thinks! I'm _**going**_ to take Shido down! She may not have been perfect, but she was still my mother! She was everything I had! I can't bring her back, but I can make that bastard feel everything she felt: pain, fear, loss, and helplessness! I don't care if its legal or not, I'm past that point! That bastard thinks he's invincible, I'll prove him wrong!"

"Then do it! Quit mopping on your ass and use what you've got!" Shouted back Natsuo, though not in anger. "The Phantom Thieves agreed to work with you because Shido screwed each of them over, right?"

"Them and more. Because of him, Oracle, Noir, and myself don't have lost our parents. He's going to have Queen's sister killed, he put Joker in the center of this whole mess, and he cheated Skull out of an elevator."

"Great-wait, huh?" She faulted.

 _ **Yeeeah, kinda of broke your stride there.**_ Loki noted.

Looking to his hands, he flashed back to the night where he'd scrapped along the road, devoid of any resources or allies. He was alone.

Natsuo's hands fell over his causing him to look up. "Even if you're out there in the skies alone, as long as you've got the will and brain, you can rise above the storm. Your heart's still beating, isn't it? You've still got all the knowledge you gained working for Shido, don't you?" Slowly, he nodded his head. Grinning, she placed her right fist against his chest, directly over his heart. "The Phantoms want Shido bagged as much as you do, don't they? That gives you five-"

"Eight, Mona, Panther, and Fox are just as dedicated as the others." He cut in.

Natsuo's grin widened. "That gives you eight allies, eight assets you need to start using. Push forward, Shido may have an empire, but _you_ helped build that empire, therefore, you know where all the cracks are, don't you?"

In the back of his mind, in the place he rarely ventured, Loki laughed his trademark laugh. The sound of coming horror, the sound of war, the sound of chaos, the sound…of vengeance. Slowly, Goro's hand gripped Natsuo's.

"You got here by fighting uphill, so keep doing that. Who cares if you're a fake, murderer, liar, or freakin' alien. What matters, is you stand proud of yourself and keep going. You're better off facing the world as you are than changing yourself to fit in because everyone wants you to confirm. Who knows, being yourself, no matter how wretched and awful, may just get you the kind of allies you need."

He stared at her, emotions racing through him yet fighting for dominance. "You…seriously don't care? About…I mean you know I'm a-"

"You're an asshole." She grinned. "But the world's full of assholes, bitches, bastards, and everything in-between. Besides, who am I to judge? Like I told you, I'm not a nice person myself." She turned to the horizon, another wicked grin pulling at her face. "What you're gonna do…is bring society crashing down, who's to say I don't want to be a part of that? Most days…I fight to be more than a worm crawling along the ground, if I can become more than I'd be happy."

"Now you're talking like a villain." Joked the hitman.

"Hey, maybe I am, but technically, you're a bad guy. The point is, are you willing to keep going? Do you still want to knock your old man off?"

"…Yes, I do, and I'll do whatever it takes to make that happen." He affirmed.

Her left arm once more looped around Goro's neck, this time, he welcomed the feeling. They stood toward the setting sun, where a rainbow could be seen arching through the skies. No doubt a handful stopped to marvel at it while most shrugged it off to keep going on with their daily lives.

"Then fly, I don't know how much I can do, but I'll help you anyway I can. Outcasts like us don't get justice, so we have to settle for whatever the hell we can, even if we go down ourselves." Stated the oldest Hashioka. "But we can go down guns blazing."

"Spoken like a true idiot." Goro mused.

"Takes one to know one, Pancake Boy." Natsuo snickered.

She walked back over to the table to rip out another sheet of notebook paper. He fumbled quite badly in his attempts to fold the paper while Natsuo watched in amusement. Finally, she joined in, lightly gripping and guiding his fingers to make the right folds. A second later and the hitman held a somewhat wrinkled yet full-formed paper airplane. Natsuo stepped backward and watched as he threw his arm forward sending the airplane forward into the skies. It wavered for a moment but was saved by a sudden and moisty wind that carried it into the skyline and eventually out of sight. By one another's side, the teens watched it travel the air until it vanished completely, which caused them both to laugh in amusement. No doubt someone somewhere would be picking pieces of paper off the ground.

Unknown to the two teens caught up in their bliss, a third occupant had joined them on the rooftop. Landing atop one of the two chairs, the blue butterfly fluttered its wings. Had either of Goro or Natsuo bothered to look behind them they would have noticed the insect as well as the shadow it was casting.

It was tall and humanoid.

* * *

 **Quite a long chapter, but I wanted to get the Goro/Natsuo talk in since it was one of the first things I thought up while planning this story. This chapter naturally revealed a bit more about the Hashiokas and how they came to be who they are. Natsuo wasn't kidding when she said they were a family fallen from grace, much like how Goro's family fell from grace.**

 **This whole chapter was pretty much dedicated to the idea of black and gray mortality. Yes, Natsuo and Shuya's parents were criminals, but they were people, and people are complicated and multi-faced. The face you show to your co-workers and family can be entirely opposite to one another. It doesn't mean one is fake, it's just a matter of viewpoint and how you approach life. Even harden criminals and such can have morals and love while those trusted to uphold the law and such can have neither. Anyone who's ever watched a crime-drama or such can probably tell you that; cliché as it may be, it has some basis as once family gets involved, things always become personal.**

 **Natsuo's talk was a long time coming. Most stories stress the importance or vital need for justice over vengeance, while for vastly understandable, I wanted to try something DIFFERENT. Like she said, what about those on the fringes of society? Do they deserve justice? Criminals even? She's a person who's stood on the opposite line and if placed in front of some like Makoto or Naoto, they'd have major disagreements. Goro's character sits somewhere in between as while he may have an honest desire for justice, it's become distorted turning him into something "ugly". It's a fine line between justice and vengeance, and rather than stick to one I want to explore just how fine a line is there and the pros and cons of each side.**

 **Basically, you could say Natsuo's something of a Chaotic Neutral in the sense that she's mindful of the law, but has no issue for breaking it for just and not so just reasons. Those are the types of characters I like to explore and felt Goro was always a step away from since he himself had little respect for the law after seeing how far (or how little) it could extend. When you chose to act outside the law it can be seen as a form of rebellion, but at what cost and how far are you willing to go?**

 **Next chapter will be the last of the "Oasis Arc" after which the story will truly begin to move forward. In other words, reunions are coming, and some first-meetings. Oh, and hopefully some of you noticed Goro's "guardian" made another appearance towards the end of the chapter.**

 **Until next time, and happy New Years everyone! See you all in 2019!**


	17. Chapter 16-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt9

**Greetings readings and welcome to the first chapter of 2019! Normally it'd probably be a few more weeks before I could get this chapter out but New Year resolutions and all that. Ionically, while this chapter is the first of the new year it also marks the end of a story arc that's been going for nine full chapters. It'll include more talks, philosophical debates, and one argument for the ages. Let the story continue!**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 16-Oasis in a Singed Land Pt.9 (Final-See You in the Sky)**

 _ **Hashioka Residence, 4:58 PM…**_

"What do you think they're like?" Innocently questioned Natsuo finishing off her second bag of potato chips while Goro was still munching through his first. He had to admit, the girl could certainly put away food when she wanted to; granted, she wasn't anywhere near as gluttonous as Ann could be from time to time. Also, call it a hunch but something told her due to the nature of her…hobbies the orange-haired girl got a lot more exercise than the blonde did. "If you want, I could try posting a message or something online and see if it gets any hits."

Taking a napkin to wipe the crimes from his face, Goro shook his head. "Too risky."

Her eyebrow rose. "Seriously, my uncle knows a guy who's cyber-proofed just about every electronics device we use, including your phone."

"If I asked you for his name would you give to me?" He calmly fired back.

Natsuo shrugged. "I could introduce you to him, provided, ya' know, we survive this mess and he's okay with talking to a badge."

A somewhat humorous chuckle left the assassin's lips as he reclined back into the chair. "You know, when this whole mess is over, I honestly doubt anyone is going to see me as a point of authority. Hell, I feel like I'll be lucky if I don't get death threats, or the death penalty for the everything I've done."

"Don't be so melodramatic." She snorted looking less than amused. "You're seventeen years-old so at worst you'll be just sent to juvenile detention and come back looking like a delinquent. Not to mention the way you told me you've…committed your crimes is going to completely and totally fly over the public's heads, let alone a judge." That was yet another little "golden nugget" he hadn't really had much time to think about. While Goro had every intention of turning himself in and paying for his crimes, exactly how he was going to be made to pay never really crossed his mind. "If that pyro-maniac slasher could get sent off to juvy after killing close to fifty or people then I'm pretty sure your odds aren't as crappy as you think they are."

Goro stared at his green-eyed companion with a mixture of awe and puzzlement. She had a somewhat valid point, though it wasn't one he wanted to bait his life on. He stood up and worked over to the bed where a plethora of files had been laid out similar to the day before when Natsuo had helped open his eyes to what kind of world he was living in, or rather what kind of world he'd stepped into. All that time he couldn't help but think back to the Phantom Thieves and how they all described their adopting to the world of the supernatural. Given what everyone already had on their plat, there was little time to do deep-seated investigations into other Persona-related events. Except for Futaba, but he felt she spent her time on the net doing more…lucrative things. After a quick shuffling he found the documents he was looking for.

"Mieko Urayama," The name flowed so effortless off his lips despite never one having spoken it aloud. Arguably, he always feared that if he spoke it, he'd jinx himself or something of the sort, always conveniently denying the fact that he himself was already damned. Mieko Urayama looked like the type of person who'd do such thing, purely for laughs and no other reason. Staring at the camera with a devil-like grin her honey-colored eyes cackled with dark amusement. It was as if the fact she were about to be locked away was little more than an inconvenience, like missing a green light and having to wait for the next one. If she too possessed the powers of a Persona, and power like he thought, then being locked up away. Looking away from the dark-haired girl, he turned his gaze to the one with flame-colored strands. "Do you…what she did, do you wish you could do it too?"

In spite of how far they'd come in their…relationship, Goro wanted to make sure he didn't offend her. Personally, Natsuo found it cute if a bit irritating; that said, she couldn't really blame him for being careful. It never once escaped her she was dealing with what was practically an abused dog, one with quite a bite. That said, certain bit of joy came with interacting with such a creature-for her at least. "Maybe, get the power to summon some sort of supernatural entity or enter some weird world filled with the inner subconscious of people. Hell yeah, I'd use my power to settle some personal scores. Still, afterwards I don't quite think I'd do what she did and sell my services out to the highest bidder for shits and giggles." Her expression turned thoughtful for a second before she shrugged. "Alright, I take that one back. I'd definitely follow her lead in causing some arson, if only to the people who've really screwed me over."

The boy chuckled hearing her response, and eventually so did Natsuo herself. "Arson, why oh why am I not surprised. I imagine you'd look quite scary bathed in the light of a fire you yourself set and watched burn."

Her arms fell back against the back of her head as she crossed her legs. If only a little, he was getting used to those Cheshire-like grins she sent his way. That still made him jump down since he knew what came after usually wasn't pleasant. "Ain't that the pot calling the cattle black, seems to be another specialty of yours."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He questioned with slightly cross eyes.

She looked like a child being given candy. "You, you said one of your Personas was Loki, right, as in _the_ Loki? Norse Mythology Loki and not MCU Loki, though he is pretty cute and funny. You should take some pointers from him."

 _ **My oh my, the debts I owe to this mortal named Tom Hiddleston.**_ Chuckled the horn-eyed deity that had taken up residence in Goro's mind.

Keeping his annoyance at a minimal, he focused his attention on Natsuo in an attempt to decipher what she was thinking. As he'd learned so thoroughly, she was far from stupid, she was fiery and passionate, but smart and learned. The books that surrounded him ranged from historical and classical to modern. As he allowed his gaze to wonder about, he spotted one or two pertaining to mythology. Given Shuya's love of art and his drawing capabilities as well as her passion for writing it didn't surprise him mythical adventures and legends had likely found its way into her brain. What surprised him was how casually she took the news one of his Personas was Loki, Norse god of trickery and mischief; actually, when she learned that Goro remembered seeing something like…joy, twinkle in her eyes. It was both intriguing and concerning.

 _I'm becoming associated with a loon._ He'd thought with a mixture of awe and dread.

 _ **It's not like you're in any position to criticize here.**_ Loki had gently chided with Robin following up.

 _ **Then arguably you have no better companion to walk this path of madness, besides us of course.**_ His voice had been humorous though Goro knew his white-clad Persona had been a little serious. In the end, he'd had to conclude Robin may have had a point.

Clearing away some of the papers, he sat down at the edge of the bed with Mieko Urayama's file and documents secured in his lap. "Y-Yes, that's him. He says thank you for actually knowing your mythology."

"What's it like having one of these Personas in your head? Does it get annoying?"

"Yes."

 _ **Hurtful**_. Loki whined.

 _ **You should tell her how tiresome it is having two.**_ Mused Robin.

Pitching the bridge of his nose, Goro tried to regain his focus. "About your earlier statement, you called out my hypocrisy. Care to elaborate? Don't worry, I can take constructive criticism."

"I wasn't really trying to criticize you." Her response was soft as was the look in her eyes. "Yeah, Loki's done some shit, some very icky shit, but most people forget without him, the gods wouldn't have half the cool stuff they do like Odin's horse and all that. And they paid him back by basically using him as a human punching bag. From what you've told me, it sounds an awful lot like how Shido treated you." His expression went neutral, perhaps because it was yet another realization he'd been ducking and hiding from. As she leaned back in her seat, she pointed a salt-covered finger directly at him. "You act like Mister Prince-Charming with the suit and all, but at your core, you hate it, don't you? You want to grab a beer bottle, stuff a rag into it, light the match, and toss it, I can see it in your eyes. At some point, you realized that wasn't the type of person people wanted to be around so you built up this fake identity that everyone would love, but do you really need it anymore? The real you-"

"Is a murderous, treacherous piece of filth." He chuckled. Strange, the more he said it the less it hurt. "Well, the 'real me' isn't quite a nice person, but when I'm…when I'm me…I do feel a bit happy, even if I'm all alone. Like you said, it's better to be myself and alone then be someone I'm not in a faceless crowd." As he looked to her, Goro felt his lips tick upwards, a trend he was having more and more trouble fighting. "You know, I'm envious of you, I used to have a room like this, except it was Super Sentai instead of…"

"Instead of what?" Natsu cracked. "Yeah, yeah, I'm sure your place was a nice little nerd cave, but it's nothing compared to my glorious collection of TV's finest!" To emphasize her point she threw her arms out as if the decent-sized room filled with collectible trinkets was something to be proud of. As far as the two teenagers were concerned, it was.

But Goro wasn't going down without a fight.

"I'll admit, the Kamen Rider franchise is…extensive, and deserving of _some_ praise." Shutting the folder, he jumped to his feet with a look of regal superiority on his face. "But Super Sentai is still better, after all, it does have world-wide recognition."

Natsuo's scowl came hard and fast. "Oh please! More like it's so standard and atypical everyone knows it! Where's the fun in that! Besides, at least Kamen Rider doesn't recycle old themes when they can't think of anything!"

An invisible knot formed on Goro's face as he directed his attention to his Sun Confidant. "At least they manage to put a spin on it! Besides, Super Sentai's plots are far more intriguing and sensible than the mess that Kamen Rider storylines become!"

A similar knot formed on the girl's head, now she was sitting upright with fire burning in her eyes. "You call a deep and engaging plot a mess?! At least Kamen Rider is willing to go in mature directions despite being in a family-friendly time slot!"

"Super Sentai can go there too!" Goro shouted. "Besides, the heroes and villains are far more engaging and fun to watch!"

"More like boring as hell!"

"This coming from the series where support characters sit on the sidelines while the main characters do all the fighting and hard work. Not to mention you've got a single lead stealing all the spotlight and having to do all the work." Replied Goro turning his head.

"I'm sorry, are you trying to describe Kamen Rider or _Kyoryuger_? It's okay if you're still embarrassed about it, and _Ninninger_."

As if struck by a bolt of lightning Goro's composure broke apart, then he froze in place as his friend eyed him with that damn smile. He'd given in and awarded her a point, retaliation had to be swift and decisive. "At least Super Sentai didn't botch its anniversary season!"

Now it was Goro's turn to grin, and grin he did as the flame-haired Hashioka became a flustered wreck. "H-Hey! _D-Decade_ and _Ghost_ had great characters, they just had bad writers who didn't know what the hell they were doing! That's exactly why I-never mind!" She quickly shut her mouth and turned her head, just as Goro had done. And like before, it did little good.

"Oh, it must be hard work trying to salvage the unsalvageable." He mocked widening his grin in her direction. "Tell me, does your _Decade_ rewrite also end with the main character getting shot in the face by his secondary Rider?"

"Don't know," Natsuo shot back looking at him from the corner of her eye. "Can you give me a season where the main heroes don't have to go undercover as a bride or learn some stupid elementary school Aesop?"

A point went to Natsuo.

"Gah! That's built into the foundations of the show-to teach teamwork and good triumphing over evil! At least our endings are happier than yours, like the main character making it out alive and intact!"

"That's part of Kamen Rider's charm! Life can't always be happily ever after, that's what makes Kamen Rider better than Super Sentai!"

"One man carrying the burden? Hah! Like that's any better to watch then a dedicated and loyal team of battle-harden comrades work together to save the world and humanity! What I mean is you don't have to spend half a season worrying about the heroes backstabbing each other!"

A point went to Goro.

"T-T-That's also part of the show's charm! Conflicting motivations and ethics that push good and not-so good people to oppose each other!" Declared the green-eyed female.

Goro made it known he wasn't impressed. "Oh, so continuously replicating one author's writing style counts as interesting? Don't make me laugh, a simple misunderstanding and next thing you know, you've got two people engaged in a death match over what they can solve over a simple talk. It's ridiculous!"

"Any more ridiculous than over-sized giant robots fighting monsters that should stay dead after being destroyed once!" Natsuo yelled finally jumping to her feet with her fist raised.

"Everyone loves giant robot fights! Not to mention giant robots are cooler than meaningless add-ons to an already overly-tacky costume!"

"You're calling out Kamen Rider for over-tacky costumes?! Look no further than the giant wastes of CGI called Zords! Not to mention they're proof all Super Sentai can do is recycle motifs!"

"At least our motifs are serious instead of outright ridiculous and stupid! Just look at _Gaim_! Fruit, seriously!?"

Natsuo looked as if she'd just been slapped in the face. "Y-Y-You dear to call out _Gaim?_ It was one of the best entries in the franchise, not to mention it was _way_ better than _Kyoryuger_!"

"It's lead character was completely insufferable!"

" _Kyoryuger_ might as well have had only one character for all good the rest of the cast did!"

Air rushed into the lungs of the brown-haired teen and nearly left his mouth as words before his ears picked up the sound of a door opening.

"We're back!" Shouted Shuya from downstairs.

"Before coming down, if needed, please put some clothes on!" Jō yelled.

"WHY DO YOU KEEP DOING THAT?!" Goro screamed racking his hands over his head while Natsuo completely lost the fury she'd built up arguing with him.

"Hey, you make it so easy to tease, I can understand why this Akira-guy liked doing it." Her grin was infuriating, yet at the same time incredibly invigorating. Just seeing it caused Goro's annoyance and irritation to melt away, even if there was a part of him that told him he to keep arguing his point. He had a gut feeling even with Shuya on his side victory wouldn't be his. She was out the door before Goro, who quietly trailed behind her with a soft smile tugging at his lips.

When he got downstairs and saw the little family reunion, the smile came in full. Shuya wasn't doing much to fight off his sister's bear-hug, even as he explained how the exhibit had went. More than once he spotted a blush on the young boy's face when he heard a female name drop, clearly indicating he'd already begun to take notice of girls. Goro hung back on the steps, his shoulder leaning against the wall while he merely smiled at the scene. He glanced over to the side finding of all people, Jō looking back to him. The former hitman had a similar smile on his face, one that Goro understood all too well. His face faltered when he saw the man with a goatee beckon him downward with his hand, reluctantly, Goro did so.

Once he was on the scene Shuya took note of him. Gently, he pushed his sister away and walked towards the older male. He came to a stop just before him, a shy expression on his face.

"Some of them…did laugh, and they called me out, but in the end…a lot of people liked my drawings. They…said I had some real talent." He spoke sounding like he wasn't quite sure he could believe them himself. Tenderness colored the Persona-users face hearing them. "I'm pretty sure when I go back to school, they'll hate me even more, but I did like you said, I smiled right back at them. It felt…it felt good." Wide and radiant, like a full moon on a calm and serene night, Shuya smiled. "Thanks for the advice, Goro."

Gently, he sat back against the steps of the stairs, a serene smile of his own manifesting on Goro's face. "Well, I may not be a real detective or an obedient little pawn, but I know a thing or two about adversary, and what it takes to overcome it. Glad I was able to pass on something good to someone else." What slipped out next wasn't intentional, "Your mother…your mother says hi." Yet he said it anyway.

Though sadden, Shuya continued to smile. The arm of his sister fell over his shoulders, who also smiled at him. Together they went to the living room to discuss the day's events, looks of giddy on their faces.

"I see someone had a good day."

He didn't bother looking at Jō. "Yeah, I haven't had one of those in a while." There was a pregnant pause as he considered the best way to approach the topic. "Natsuo…she…I'm sorry about your brother and sister-in-law, I really am."

"…Thank you…for the thoughts at least." His words were solemn just as the teenage hitman had expected. Much like his niece, he'd no doubt accepted the events of that night, though Goro was willing to bet him having made peace with them was another matter entirely. Before he could say anything more, the phone in his pocket went off. Silently, Goro watched him raise it to his ear and speak to the person on the other end, his face never once devolving into anything alarming. Finally, he sighed then hung up. "It seems something happened at Cloud Eight; some pricks decided to get a little physical and caused some damages."

"Have I just been told murders will be carried out?"

Jō smirked at him. "No, probably just a couple of kicks to the ass and that's it. They asked me to come in to help with the repairs."

"Would you mind if I tagged along?"

That caught him off guard. Discretely, he looked back into the living room to see his niece and nephew talking to one another. "I thought you'd like to stay with them, you seem to-ah," Their eyes met for only a fraction of a second, but it was enough time for Jō to fully analyze the look in Goro's red eyes. "Okay then, get your disguise ready and put some shoes are. I can't tell how long we'll be out but we should be back before eight or nine."

He was on his feet in a minute then trudging up the steps towards his room. As soon as the door slid shut, he leaned his back against it, a look of deep anxiety crossing his face Goro pulled out his phone and stared at the home screen for what felt like hours.

 _Ann, Ryuji, Futaba, Makoto, Yusuke, Morgana…Haru…Sae…Akira,_ Those nine names crossed his mind like flashes of lightning in the sky. _The me that Natsuo, Shuya, and Jō have seen, if you saw it…would you…would any of you accept it? Even after everything I've done?_

* * *

 _ **Inokashira Park, 6:03 PM…**_

"I can't…I can't believe it, another day and nothing, even _after_ we got that text message and have a super hacker like Futaba with us! This is 'effin unreal!"

In retrospect, Ryuji probably shouldn't have mentioned the part about the text message, at all. First, Futaba looked at him with a sour look before jumping right back into her computer. Besides her, the rest of the group shifted uncomfortably, even he joined in feeling an uneasy feeling welling up in his gut. Unsure of what to do, he let his head hit the wooden desk, not caring for the audible thud it made or the dull pain in his head. Rather surprisingly, he felt a hand on his shoulder; without having to guess he knew it was Ann's, partially because he could still smell her perfume, even through the rain.

The rain had been a rather funny thing, when they all woke up it perfectly symbolized how they'd felt. As the day dragged on and their search had maintained its fruitless nature. Subtly, the weather began to clear all across the city; when many looked to the skies they saw the sun poking through and with it came a number of rainbows, Those rainbows had reached their peak at sunset as bright light bathed the city of Tokyo as if to give condolences for what had almost been a week's worth of rain. In spite of the worry and frustration weighing in their hearts, the Phantom Thieves looked up to the skies and saw them, they chose to take the colorful sights as inspirations rather than be deterred by them. Now, here they all sat at Inokashira park following another round of searching, futile searching at that.

"Look, I don't want to sound like a broken record here, but are we _really_ sure that text message came from Akechi?" Spoke Ann looking around the table.

"It was definitely him." Though she'd had to repeat it almost three times before, Sae Niijima didn't seem angry. Having been with her all day, Makoto knew that first hand, and that unnerved her more than anything. "L-Look, I know it's been a long day and everyone must be tired, but Akechi is…"

"He's still out there, but at least we know he's…he's alright." Finished the painter of the group. Yusuke's hands had been folded and his brow knitted showcasing the worry he felt on the inside. Like almost all of his teammates and their adult associate, he'd received an anonymous text message at around eight-thirty the previous night. Needless to say, he hadn't been able to focus on his artwork for the rest of the night. "I imagine if Akechi could see us, he'd be disappointed we just spent an entire day searching for him instead of doing as he requested."

"Where the hell does he get off telling us to do that?" Shouted Ryuji snapping his head up. Ann jumped back a bit in her seat though she seemed used to her friend's bombastic by this point. "I know what he made us promise, but he-"

"He trusts us to stop Shido, but not take care of him."

All eyes turned to Akira, the sole member of the group who was standing instead of seating at the wooden tables they'd chosen to rest at.

Also, the only one to not receive a text message from their wayward ally.

The morning they'd all conveyed at Leblanc to discuss the text it…hadn't quite been surprising that Akira hadn't received one. Not to Sae at least. He'd only learned of the text from Futaba calling him, followed by Ann, then Ryuji with the rest of them following through. All night he'd waited to get a message like the one they'd described, and yet when dawn broke there was nothing.

 _Akechi…Goro, you're so…you're so fixated on Akira, aren't you?_ It was ironic that the one person who'd convinced him to change course was now the one person he couldn't bear to face. Sae was no psychologist, but at the moment she was wishing she was one, if only it brought her closer to the young man that had been by her side for months on end.

"Does he really think that little of us? After everything we've been through?" Makoto mused, letting her somberness show.

"What exactly have we been through though?" The Persona users looked to their feline guide, Sae, not being able to hear the cat, could only follow their gaze. Sighing, the feline looked upward to the sky, now steadily being filled up by the stars. "Akechi's spent weeks, maybe months watching us, set us up for murder, then threw all his planning away to help us, and now he's on the run. It…it wouldn't surprise me if he blamed us for everything that's happened."

"But he doesn't! He told Sis he-"

"Told me what? What did the cat say?" At the very least Sae had the good sense to look embarrassed when Morgana turned his gaze to him. "Um, sorry, Morgana. What did Morgana say?"

Makoto opened her mouth to speak, but Futaba beat her to the punch. "He said that maybe Akechi blames us for what's happened." The clicking of her keyboard stopped sending a cold wave of sweat down the spines of each of the teenagers. "Frankly, if I were in his position, I think I'd do the same. Heh, sounds like all we've done is screw up his plans."

"His plans were shitty." Grumbled Ryuji. "Dammit, can't that guy tell we just want to…"

"You two were ready to tear each other's faces off that night at Leblanc." Quipped Akira. Ryuji held his anger for a few seconds before he deflated, a cross between shame and worry taking his face. He was far from alone in feeling those two emotions. "The fact of the matter is, Akechi's used to doing everything on his own, so asking him to have faith in other people isn't going to be like making a run down to the convenience store."

"You sound like you're speaking from personal experience."

Sae's words cut through the air like an arrow speeding towards its target. Aside from Makoto, all eyes went to her as she and the leader of the Phantom Thieves engaged in a silent stare down. The first time she'd met Akira, she admittedly hadn't thought much of him, which in retrospect was probably the point. From what Makoto had told her and what she'd learned from interacting with him, the curly-haired teen preferred to go unseen and unnoticed until needed. Given what had happened to him, that wasn't exactly surprising. However, that mindset had been almost directly opposite of Goro's, and instead of a silent blessing it had been a curse. Perhaps that was one of the reasons the two Wild Cards were about to connect in such a way that she could only be envious of.

And yet why did Goro shirk away from the boy who'd touched his heart as if he were poison?

Akira pushed up his glasses. "Let me just say, being scared of reaching out to people, paranoid about them and what their intentions may be, I've been there before. It's not fun, and it's not a place you want to stay in; I got lucky, he didn't." His gray eyes met each of his teammates and Sae's, their usual dark hue softened. It was clear the words he was speaking were coming from the heart. "Akechi's not stupid, he knows he's screwed over just about all of us, and logic dedicates we pay him back for that, especially you, Haru."

Remarkably, the company heiress didn't flinch. Matter of fact, since the sit down the lightly-colored brunette had been unusually quiet. For the Phantom Thieves, this had been a disturbing trend ever since they'd begun their search for the Prince Detective. While there was no doubt her resolve was firm, many of them had begun to wonder exactly what would happen between the Okumura heiress and the boy who'd murdered her father. Needless to say, it was a clash no one was looking forward to.

Haru stretched out her hands, making sure to keep them lace as she bit her lip. "I…I think we should be happy to at least know that Akechi's still alive, but we can't…we can't give up on finding him. Yes, I'm sure of it." When she looked up, determination had colored her eyes. Such a look had only been seen in the Metaverse, at least by a majority of the Phantoms. Akira had seen it elsewhere, when she was Haru Okumura and not Noir. "He'll probably yell at us for wasting almost a week of our time, but it's our time and we choose how to spend it, right?"

"Yeah," Ryuji mused. "Plus, we can always throw it back on him for taking so long to call us."

"I still can't believe this, over ten hours and still haven't been able to find the phone he used to text us." Snarled Futaba before crossing her arms with a serious expression on her face. "Either he's some how gotten hold of a super-dumper encrypted phone…or we all suffered a mass hallucination and just imagined he sent us a text."

"Eh, for Ryuji that might be possible." Said Morgana.

"Like hell I did! I was taking a shower when I came out and found the stupid message! Besides, where the hell could he even get a phone like that?!"

"I'm pretty sure once we find him, there's a lot of questions we're going to be asking." Ann moaned. Worryingly, she'd looked at her calendar to find she had two photo shoots scheduled for Tuesday and Friday respectively; focusing on the shoots was hard enough without her double life, but her MIA teammate was just added pressure. "To be honest, part of me is a bit surprised he didn't call us out for not going after Shido, I mean, he must at least have access to a TV or something if he can text us."

"I'm more worried about if he's going after Shido himself." Stated Makoto blowing into her hands. An early winter air blew through the park causing her to shiver in her seat.

"Come on, he wouldn't do something stupid like that," Ryuji argued before he frowned. "Would he?"

"You are the one who said his plans were bad." Mouthed Yusuke putting a hand to his chin. "Frankly, I'm more worried about whatever it was that caused the explosion at his apartment."

Sae swallowed a lump in her mouth as she moved to speak. "I…used some…connections to get some information from CSI." There was little she could do to contain the dread on her face as she looked to the Persona-wielding teenagers. It wasn't the thought of a supernatural world outside her comprehension that worried her, it was the fact the task of stopping its exploitation fell to these teenagers seated before her. The fact that one of them was her sister was just salt into an open wound. They all looked at her with equal parts anticipation and equal parts worry; they already knew she was about to reveal more bad news and just wanted it over with. "The blast that decimated Akechi's apartment…it…I seriously don't think it was a bomb blast. Bombs don't…leave cleaved edges."

"Cleaved?" Morgana inquired though to the prosecutor it just came out as cat meows.

"So basically, you're saying whoever hit Akechi's apartment…used something besides explosives?" Ann interpreted.

"I honestly don't know." She growled. "It's already a known fact that the police aren't _seriously_ investigating the explosion since they're on Shido's payroll as well. God, just saying it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Whatever or whoever it was that attacked his apartment, it wasn't some amateur."

"We already know that." Akira snorted. "The problem here is whoever hit him could be out there, and for all we know they're still hunting him. Sae," He began bringing the full might of his gaze to attention. "I don't want to sound rude, but what did your text message say? Akechi sent on to all of us save for me, but you got a special one, right?"

Makoto moved to speak, but once again she was cut off. Having known this was coming, Sae took a quick breath to ready herself. "It…he…the message was confirmation, information that only he knew because I told him, personally." Her colored lips pressed together as her head dipped downward. "Also…it was an…basically, he told me he was sorry for leading me on, and if I want to hit him next time I see him, he's not going to put up a fight."

Ryuji whistled, then yelped in pain when Ann's hand quickly fell upon his head. The rest of the group looked on in amazement before attempting to avert their attention elsewhere, everyone save for Akira and Morgana.

"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd almost say this whole mess is turning into something out of a TV show." Half chuckled the feline.

"Heh, well, we've got all the hallmarks, don't we? Not to mention Goro definitely brings the drama, doesn't he?"

"Are either of you making fun of him?" Challenged Sae.

"No, no," The bespectacled teen's hands went up in a show of caution Internally, he smirked at seeing the defensive side of the older Niijima come out. _She does still care for him. Goro, you may think you're all alone, but you're not, far from it._ If he caught up with his rogue counterpart would he be able to convince him of such a thing? Akira didn't know, but he was sure as hell going to try. "Look, it's getting late so if anyone wants to-"

"I'm staying, I'm going to keep looking for Akechi." Declared Ryuji not missing a beat.

"Same here." Ann seconded.

"I too would like to keep searching, admittedly, I…don't think I will feel at peace until all members of our team are accounted for." Sounded Yusuke.

"Um, well, you guys know my physical limits." Futaba said looking modestly embarrassed before putting on a brave face. "But I'm gonna keep searching the net and traffic cams! He can run, but I'm finding Crow and bringing him home!"

The Niijima sisters looked to one another before facing the rest of the group with determined frowns. "You already know where we stand. We'll search the Minato Ward again and see if we can come up with anything worthwhile."

"In that case, I'm going to try searching Kōto City, we haven't tried searching that location so I'm going to give it a shot." Haru said nothing of the various looks given to her by her teammates. Her mind was set and they could see nothing they said would change it.

"Then me and Mona are going with you." Declared the Phantom Thieves' leader in a near deadpan manner. A hand was quickly raised to prevent her from speaking. "It's not because I'm scared something will happen to you, it's just I know the area at least a little better than you do. My dad once did contracting work in the area and brought back a map I kinda memorized. If we're together, I may be able to point out a few places Akechi could be hiding. Three heads are better than one, right?"

"Y-Yes, I-I suppose so." Stammered the older girl clearly thrown off by her leader' declaration.

"Not to be rude but, at one point should we…call it a night?" Offered Yusuke with caution. "As I said, finding Akechi is a priority, but if we push ourselves too hard then-"

"How does ten o'clock sound?" Though it was meant more as a suggestion, it came out as something…different. Sae did a double-take as she realized all eyes were on her, including her own sister's. The fact that she was the oldest person at the table hit her hard and fast leaving her a jumbled-up mess. "I-I-I-I mean i-i-if t-t-that's o-o-okay w-with y-you all! N-N-Not l-like I-I'm t-t-t-trying to impose on any of you!"

It was frustrating having seven teenagers and a cat all grinning at her like it was stand-up comedy. All of them save for Makoto looked ready to burst into laughter at any second and honestly, Sae didn't know how to respond to that.

Thankfully, the group's leader took pity on her. Somewhat.

"Ten it is, so long as you're at least on your way back home, that's good enough. We don't need anymore trouble than we've already built up." Never mind the fact that tomorrow was Monday in which they all had to go back to their daily lives. While thanks to his connections with Ms. Kawakami he and the others could fly beneath the radar at Shujin, he wasn't keen on tip-toeing near the edge. On Sae's end, every day she worked into work it was like trudging through a snake pit. _Right about now is the point were we could use some breathing room, the problem is how in the hell are we supposed to get that when we've practically got everyone breathing down our necks._ If there was ever a time for a lucky break then Akira considered it now. Alas, luck wasn't something they could rely on so they'd make do with what they had.

It was a shame since the park really was quite beautiful at night. As the group made preparations to go their separate ways Akira found himself looking up to the sky several times, and when he looked back down he often found Haru looking with him. It was soft nudge that brought her back down to earth. A soft apology followed though she knew that this discussion wasn't done with.

Once they got on the train she was proven right.

"If you want to talk about Akechi…or the company, I'm all ears, as usual."

She smiled at him before allowing her head to fall against his shoulder. From the safe confines of Akira's bag, Morgana gave a slight meow of subtle encouragement. "If I do, I fear I'll just go on and on until the ride's over. I…I want to try to get a little peace and quiet in."

He chuckled at that. "It still amazes me how you manage to sleep on rides like this, then again, you're a lot sterner than people give you credit for."

There were a lot of things that Haru Okumura was, and a lot of things she wasn't. The last three months had been a harsh but very much needed journey of self-discovery for her. It had its ups and downs, but she was happy she was walking that path, even if it brought her pain and heartache along the way.

One could have argued that she'd been blessed to at least have two days to grieve for her father. After that, all hell seemed to break loose.

Never had it expected her notice that her father, Kunikazu Okumura was a…deeply flawed man. It was only after his death did Haru realize that her father's philosophy of sacrificing others to get ahead had created enemies. A long, _long_ list of enemies that wanted a piece of him, and not even death would stop them from exacting their revenge.

Two days after its CEO died Okumura Foods came under intense media and legal fire, namely due to the fact that all the illegal business dealings Kunikazu Okumura had used to launch the company to new heights. Following his death, those secrets came to light, and then there were the lawsuits. Another well-known but hardly spoken of fact was the rampant food poisoning a handful of people had suffered from eating Okumura Food products. The old Kunikazu that Haru and loved would have taken responsibility for such things and tried his hardest to make up for them. Instead of that, he'd swept them under the rug through payoffs, intimidation and other means she tried hard not to think about. Board meetings were partially dominated by how to counteract them, and most of the time Haru had to do everything in her power to keep herself together learning how far her father had fallen.

 _"Even amongst the Conspiracy, which was full of the worst of the worst, you father wasn't all that well-liked. In fact, not one member of the organization liked him."_

Reviled by the public and even despised by his own criminal associates, it seemed besides herself, no one had any love for her father.

"When we find Akechi…what are you going to do to him? He seems to have already decided Sae gets first crack at him so you might have to settle for seconds."

In spite of everything, Haru laughed. "You're thinking bad thoughts about me, aren't you?"

Complimenting her, he laughed as well, though he was a bit more upbeat than the Empress. "You are the one with a sadistic side, though that only comes out when we're in the Metaverse so I suppose we can let that one go." All three of them laughed at that one before silence descended over the little bubble they'd set up for themselves. So far, none of the other passengers had taken note of them. "Haru, I'm serious though, you must have…thought a little about what you'll do when you find him."

Her hands tightened and tension raked her body. "I…I…I want to prove him wrong." Truthfully, Akira had been expecting a number of set answers, including that one. He tried to keep the upward twitch of his lips hidden from the brunette, though Akira suspected she might have already known. "All my life, I've had people look at me and make judgments without knowing the real me, and I'm tired of it. I may not be as socially graceful as people think I am, or as…ruthless as my father, or smart as I should be, but I…I want to help people. No matter who they are, if I can, I want to reach out and help them even if all I'm able to do is ease their pain. I know some may call it foolish, but I want to do that, even for…even for Akechi, no, for Goro."

There was a reason why Okumura Foods had managed to hang on while in the throes of a legal and financial maelstrom, because its heir apparent had shown herself to be a woman of surprising backbone and consideration. At first, she'd had to work to win over the common workers, and after that she'd had to fight as to be accepted into the boardroom her father had ran with an iron fist. Except Haru wasn't going to allow history to repeat itself, that much she'd made clear, nor would she allow herself to be pushed around as she showed when she firmly shut the door on her arranged marriage.

Now, the question was could she do the same with the boy who'd killed her father just as he was about to turn over a new leaf, forever taking away any chance of reconciliation they might have had.

Haru never really let it escape her mind, the sheer hypocrisy, _**comedy**_ of her situation. She was to win the trust and acceptation of those who looked to her father with scorn and hatred and had passed those feelings onto her when he died. And here she was standing on the threshold of the same dilemma with the person who'd dropped her into this mess. More than once she'd laughed bitterly at the way things had panned out.

"Sometimes, I try to hate him," Sadness rimmed her voice, though precisely who and what it was for Akira wasn't definite on. Leaning on his shoulder, Haru looked every bit like a queen or monarch in deep contemplation. "Every time I try, while I can see all the wrong he's done, I still see him the way he looked that night at Leblanc. Akira…I…I don't hate him, I hate the _way_ he looked at me, it…I don't know what all my father did, and I don't think I want to, but I think that might have been how he looked at every person he went up against. Like they were an enemy just waiting to stab him in the back as soon as he turned around. Life like that, paranoid and distrustful of every thing and everyone to the put you can't trust anyone, I can't see that as anything but pitiful and sad. Rather it be my own father…or his killer, I don't want to see anyone look like that. Do you think that makes me foolish?"

"It makes you human, you makes you a great person." Chirped Morgana before Akira could answer for her. "Something like that makes you the kind of person that's fun to be with, and…maybe it's the kind of person that Akechi needs. You're not alone in hating the way he looked at you, it hurt all of us. I think I should scratch his face or something for that."

"Again, you're gonna have to get in line because it sounds like he wants Sae to have first debs." Noted the glasses-wearing teenager.

"Speaking of Sae-san," Haru began with a slight blush on her face. "Akechi seems awfully…fixated on her, doesn't he?"

"Well, he did lead her around for almost half a year so its natural he might feel a bit guilty about it." Morgana noted before poking his out through the bag. "Buuut, I could be wrong and it could be something else."

Akira's face went cross as he attempted to push his feline companion back into his hiding place. "Why are you referring to me?"

He didn't need to look down to know Morgana was grinning like a fool. "Oh, you know, the two of you seem to be a lot alike in some aspects. Perhaps you both have similar… _tastes_."

* * *

 _ **Shinjuku, 8:09 PM…**_

Cloud Eight had become a pretty nice place, almost reaching the same status as Leblanc in his eyes. The hour and a half he spent helping Jō had been an hour well-spent in his opinion. A month ago, he never would have found helping fix up a bar for ex-criminals and low-lives to be a good use of his time. Then again, a lot had changed since then and where he was now. When they walked in, Jō's fellow workers greeted him like he was an old associate of theirs. It was amazing how quickly they'd come to accept him into their mix in spite of his age and having come completely out of nowhere. Part of it he knew lay with his caretaker.

For a man wanted for over fifty murders, Josuke Shishido was quite affable. Actually, thinking ill of him wasn't quite fair since what Goro knew came from reading old police files and word of mouth, nothing on the real man himself. His conversation with Natsuo subtly reminded him that even criminals and thugs had a time when they were "someone else", or rather, when they could let their softer and more humane side show. Goro himself was no different so in the end he really had no right to judge Jō or any of the others. That realization had left him somewhat…satisfied as he helped clean up the damages left by a few drunks and rowdy idiots thinking Cloud Eight was good place to have a bar brawl.

They were lucky they finished just as the people started flowing in. Goro fully braced himself for what was without a doubt going to be a long night of service and practiced behavior.

Then Jō told him they were done for the night and he was taking him to get something to drink.

Truly, the Hashiokas were full of surprises.

"You're not getting in an uproar about me taking you drinking even though you're technically a minor." Whistled the black-haired man.

He counted down the seconds until the light would change and they would be allowed across. "Considering the things I've seen and done, drinking barely comes up on the radar. Besides, when I was with the police, I ended up getting dragged along on drinking trips."

Their voices were kept quiet amidst the crowd as they crossed the street. "Were you dragged along or did you talk your way into joining them?"

"Believe me, I've had enough of booze for one lifetime, I only said yes because we were in public and not to cause a scene." Answered the Persona-using assassin. "What's the name of this place again? Is it big or well-known?"

"It's a cozy little place you can come to when you want to think to yourself." Came his reply.

Almost ten minutes later and through a network of corridors and alleys and Goro felt they were near their destination. Try as he might, he couldn't place the buildings or sights on their journey until Jō came to a stop in front of a decent-sized bar nestled in an ordinary part of town.

The younger male's eyes squinted as he read the sign. "Bar…Crossroads? Is this supposed to be a joke?"

"Depends on how you look at it."

Upon stepping inside Goro took immediate note of the dark and dim lighting of the place. He'd been in bars and night clubs before yet he never really seemed to take to the lighting so many of them employed. In his opinion, it only made things worse for those getting drunk, or perhaps that was the point. The place was lightly packed for a Sunday night, though Goro was willing to believe that was because for most the night was only just beginning; once the clock struck ten or so he had a feeling a few more people would trickle in for an hour or two of drinking before making their way home in preparation for the next day.

Hanging above the rack stood a welcome sign, completely in a crappy heart-shape that made him want to spin on his heels and leave. Looking downward, he did a slight double-take as he found a rather portly-sized woman in heavy-makeup staring back at him. Goro wasn't sure why, but he felt his blood run cold as ice as the woman's gaze fell over him before moving to Jō, who waved at her.

"Evening, Lala, how's business been?" Called the former hitman walking up to her with a smile.

"Same as usual, good enough for us all to get by." Her gaze flickered to Goro; thankful, he was able to keep from flinching as the sharp and most of all, _intelligent_ gaze of the woman turned to him. "Bringing a minor in here, seriously, you and Ohya can be two peas in a pod sometimes."

"Speaking of her, where is she?" A thumb jabbed to the back giving the graying-haired man. Goro had no idea who this Ohya woman was, but she sounded like a mutual acquaintance of the hitman and bartender. He wasn't in a hurry to find out the story behind them. "Can I get the eh, usual table if it's not booked."

"Coming right up, oh, and kid, stick close to this guy." Laughed the woman now identified as Lala. "He's a bit old and cranky, but his hearing still works after all the gunshots and explosions."

Admittedly, the teenager's mind came to a halt upon spotting the love cushions and such at the table. "You've got to be kidding me." He muttered as Jō walked right past him and took his seat. He glanced at the younger male clearly waiting for him to sit down, which he eventually did, directly across from him. "I…I seriously never thought I'd be sitting here, heh, it almost feels like I can't stop saying that."

"That happens when life forces you to adapt. Everyone always says I'll never do this and I'll never do that, sometimes they're able to remain true to their convictions and sometimes not." Shrugged the mustached man. Their drinks came not long afterward, a tray complete with two cups and two bottles. One was fine liquor for him while the other was seemingly some type of fruit wine for Goro. He didn't question on why and how Crossroads had such a thing despite catering to…less than professional people. "Don't worry, it's nothing too strong, or at least nothing I'm sure you can't take."

Coldly, he watched Jō pour himself his first glass while he examined the labels on the bottle. "…My mother's favorite was blackberry, I hated the taste."

"Did you ever give it a try afterwards?"

Flicking his gaze to the rest of the bar, it seemed everyone else was engulfed in their own private conversations. From speakers hidden on the ceiling a soft lullaby played adding more cover to their conversation. Sighing in acceptance, he took hold of the blue-tinted glass to fill his up half-way up. After a single investigative whiff, he took a sip, then a second. His head laid back against the seat.

"Blackberry and blueberry, how fitting. She wouldn't care that I'm in here, not if she was in one of her…moods." Whispered the runaway.

"Where did you go when she was?" Questioned the older man.

"To be honest, anywhere I could. Besides the playground there were the streets, alleys behind and in front of our building, and this river that used to cut through them. Anywhere I could go and still make it back in time." His eyes peered to the far left toward the rest of the bar. "Sometimes I stayed up all night until she came back, sometimes I fell asleep. Those times I woke up and she had me in her arms were the happiest, that at least showed she cared, that's what…those were what kept me going." Leaning forward with his hands on the table, Goro looked directly into Jō's eyes, doubt weighing heavy in his own. "How…how did you deal with it? Seeing your brother's…seeing what they'd done to him?"

His hands clapped together as he brought them beneath his chin. Goro wondered if he lived long enough would he be able to do that-maintain such an air of calm and composure when discussing the darkest parts of his life. He highly doubted it. "At first…I was too numb to really feel much of anything. I was sorta stuck on the fact this charred piece of flesh was supposed to be my little brother." Jō barely emoted seeing Goro's face become one of shock. "It doesn't surprise me that Natsuo didn't mention that part, it's…rather hard for her to think about, even harder for Shuya who probably doesn't know or remember. Officially, I'd tell you they burned down Fumino's restaurant because she'd used it as a hiding place for money and other items, but it wasn't something professional like that. They lit the whole place on fire because they could and they wanted to, their way of sending me and the Rokuhara Clan the finger."

Goro's already high respect for Natsuo sky-rocketed. Their earlier conversation had seemed playful, but now as he looked back on it he couldn't help but wonder how teasing her words had been. It also meant he'd underestimated just how much pain she'd been holding in. At the very least his mother had a…semi-proper body that was buried.

The glass in Jō's hand became tinted gold as it was filled up. "After looking at Rinshō's…corpse for a couple of minutes, I felt something, I'm pretty sure you know what it was." Rather than actually taking a sip of his drink, Jō held out his hand as if he were holding some invisible object. "Over my…career, I'd like to say I'd built up some pretty thick skin, really, in this kind of business you have to have one or else you won't make it pass your first job. When I saw what was left of my brother, my little brother I just…I don't think I've ever felt rage quite like that."

"Not even against your…what about your father?" Realizing what he'd said the teenager quickly bowed his head. "I-I'm sorry, I-I don't want to self-reflect."

"It's alright." Waved off the older man. "My…I was born from what you could call a fling. My dad, Natsuo and Shuya's parental grandfather, he had quite a wild streak before settling down and marrying their grandmother; _my_ mother was not that person. When her folks found out she was pregnant with me, they gave her a choice,"

"You or them." Whispered the Persona-user with distant eyes.

Jō silently nodded then turned his gaze upward to the light-coated ceiling. "I never really met my grandparents, and I don't really think I have any desire to. Given the things I've done, I imagine they wouldn't want anything to do with me. It sucks, but that's the way things are." Almost a quarter of the liquid contents disappeared down his throat. "It wasn't the best, but my mother provided for me by working at a laundry mat, everyday I helped out the best I could, and I was happy." A crease formed on his brow as he drudged up old memories. How he managed to do so without a hint of outward emotion Goro would have killed to know. "When I was fourteen years-old, I caught my first glimpse of my father. It wasn't…bad, he treated my mother kindly in spite of the fact his wife wanted him to have zero contact with the two of us. At the very least he smiled at me, really smiled at me." There was pity mixed with sadness as he looked to his younger counterpart. "Lucky me, huh?"

Goro returned the smile. "It's shit like that which made me stop believing in luck."

"Can't argue with you there, not too long after that, my…mother's luck ran out. There was a bug going around, and one of the clothes she washed was carrying it. No Medicare or anything resembling it until the last minute and I'm burying the only person I'd ever carried about to that point into the ground." The rest of the liquor disappeared, a heavy-hearted sigh came soon afterwards. "My father, still feeling a shred of responsibility for me, got me on a bus to Tokyo where he put me up. Of course, his wife wasn't too happy and said if I come anywhere near the family then my ass was gone."

"Sounds like she wasn't exactly a big fan of yours."

"Nope, but sadly for her, family…came to me." A happy smile came to the man's face as the walk down memory lane took a more positive direction. Goro was happy to see his benefactor smiling again though he kept that joy hidden behind a straight frown. "Saiji was a very nosy kid, always poking around where he shouldn't have. He came to my apartment to see what his 'big brother' looked like; I told him to piss off before he got me in trouble."

"He didn't listen, did he?" Smirked the brown-haired male.

"I see you've learned a thing or two while hanging around Natsuo." The smile deepened as the old assassin bowed his head as if in prayer to his deceased sibling. "His mom told him over and over again to stay the hell away from me, but he kept coming around and before I knew it, I had someone else to talk to. See, Saiji was good with numbers, while that brought him his fair share of blessings, curses followed along. It was when I was in my last year of high school did I find he'd…gotten on the bad side of some of the local gangsters. I would like to say I hesitated, that I thought about how things would play out, but I didn't. There were four guys sent to the ER and two to the hereafter. Their cause of death-blunt force trauma to the head."

"What happened next?"

His hands crossed over his chest as he leaned backward. Much like his niece, the subject matter they were discussing seemed of little consequence to him. "Well, the incident was swept under the rung thanks to our father, but Saiji's friends caught wind of it and roped me into their schemes. Before I knew it, I was the muscle of a crackpot crew running rampant over Toshima and Itabashi City. Eventually, things escalated when I came to one of their usual hideouts to find a professional gangster asking me if I could perform a hit on someone. I took the job."

"Just like that?" Goro questioned with genuine shock.

Jō shrugged. "I'd already come far, I knew there was no going back, only forward. The rest was history, I honed my skills until I was working for different people while Saiji used his skill with numbers and money to land himself a job as a bookie. I still had to bail him out from time to time, but we…against all odds, we kept each other covered, he…he kept me covered." His hand reached into his pocket and when it came out his wallet had been opened to a set of photographs. Leaning over, Goro instantly recognized the faces.

Fumino Hashioka looked far better with a lively face, and a very pregnant stomach that was being patted by her husband. Said husband possessed Natsuo's fiery red hair, and her passionate smile. Standing beside him, looking quite like Shuya when he was happy, stood Jō himself. Goro couldn't help but run his hand over the photograph, going on over twenty years old yet kept in such condition. He could understand the care that had been applied to it, and just how much worth it carried to the older man.

"Saiji and Fumino, I…I failed them. I failed to keep my little brother alive, and my sister."

"But you kept their children alive," Goro argued suddenly feeling defensive.

"If I had been…if I had been more careful, more attentive, they wouldn't have had to watch their mother get run over or have to bury their father. Natsuo never would have had to learn how to shoot a gun and be taught self-defense and Shuya would be…God, there are so many more things he could be than a shy shut-in." It was the closest he'd ever seen to seeing Jō in anger. Separated by a table Goro could feel the slight tinge of discontent building within him. He wasn't sure rather to fan it or attempt to sooth it. "Not a day goes back I don't think about finding the bastards who took my brother and sister away from me and making them pay in the most painful way possible."

He already knew Jō knew the identities of the assailants. From what he could gather, the hit on the family had been personal, probably directed towards him. "Jō-san, with all due respect…with your skill set…why didn't you?"

There was no anger when he looked into his eyes, not even annoyance. The strange serenity that his dark brown eyes held, it might as well have been enchanted gold to the rogue teenager. "I could have gone after them, and I wanted to with every fiber of my being. But I realized I still…I still had things I had to look after. All my life I'd lived knowing there was practically no one really depending on me to come back, that granted me an odd sense of…liberation in doing my job. Let me tell you, a man with nothing to lose is a hundred times more dangerous than the deadliest of big cats or reptiles. Except when I looked at Natsuo and Shuya, scared shitless that they were now on their own…I realized revenge was out of reach."

"Why?" Goro pressed feeling sweat beginning to collect on his forehead.

"Because" He calmly answered back. "I loved them more than I hated the people who'd killed their parents, and if I didn't do something they'd end up all alone. I may be a lot of things: murderer, liar, thief, but I wasn't going to leave my brother's kids alone in the same cold dark world I'd been born into. Saiji may have been annoying at times, but at the end of the day, he treated me like a human being, loved me, and raising his kids the best I could was the least I could do for him. If anyone or anything threatens Natsuo or Shuya, I will use _**e**_ _ **very**_ ounce of power in my body to end it."

The teenager stared at the adult for several long seconds before he fell back into his seat, melancholy overwriting his face. "…That sounds…quaint. Not the family murdered part…but just…having people…to love."

"I had to bury everything I knew-killing, spying, to take care of them. I don't regret any of it, but some would argue I wasn't the best person to look after them." Jō laughed as he motioned to himself. "I've filled rows of graves, _broken up_ families with bullets, blades, and poison. Some would argue that losing my brother was God's way of punishing me."

"Sounds about right, but it sounds like you didn't let any of that stop you." Mused the teen.

"That's what separates those who survive from those who die. Have you decided which one are you?" Again, he smirked as he laid back in his seat with his legs outstretched. "When I brought you to Cloud Eight, I saw the way you looked around, and everyday since I've observed you. You didn't choose this life, but you're in it, so are you going to see it through?"

His left hand went sat atop the table slowly tightening into a fist. "…I did choose this life. It was my plan, my actions…and my blunders."

"Yes, but like I told you earlier, your target's still breathing, and so are you. As a hitman, that's an unchecked mark." Jō's words were even and sharp, like a blade freshly sharpened and cutting through air. His eyes were just as fierce, locking Goro in place and forcing him to return his glare with all of his might. "Once you go down this path, you can't go back, so stop thinking about where you've been. Society will stop at the label 'murderer' but will you let that be the end of you? If not, then pick yourself up and keep walking. Lesser men than either of us have been called worse, and they found it in them to rise up."

"T-That's…that's what I plan on-uh?"

A lone finger was pointed directly at his chest, a pair of frosty brown eyes staring at him from behind the barrel.

"Then stop hesitating, don't hesitate. In this business, hesitation means death. You sometimes only get one shot so take it." A whisper that carried the booming impact of thunder. "People will call you all kinds of things, and if you're serious about walking this road, then accept them and move on. Along the way, you'll see a lot of bad things…but you may end up finding some good things along the way." A ray of light in the darken storm appeared. "Cherish them with all your heart. You may not think you deserve them, and people will tell you that, but they're yours. Fumino told me something a little while after Natsuo was born, 'No matter who they are or what they've done, everyone has a right to pursue happiness, and people will if only because it's what humans do.'. She sacrificed everything she knew so she could be with my brother, and I could tell she'd do it again. Job after job, watching people, observing their life and habits, I found out she was right. Good, evil, and everything in between, what we call happiness we'll search for, and fight for." The finger gun folded as it fell atop of the glass which was moved to the midway point of the table. "Guys like us are murderous garbage, but we still have things precious to us, do you believe those things are worth fighting for?"

Slowly, the Persona-user's glass joined the veteran's. "My mother…she wasn't perfect by a mile…but she was my whole world, and what memories I do have of her, the life she could have had." Pain quickly flashed through his eyes only to be replaced by steely hardness. "I'll never forgive the man who took it all away from her, and me. I know it's a long dark road, but I'm going to fight, I've fought to get here, and until I'm dead, I'll keep fighting."

"Then remember these three things, my little kohai."

"Kohai?" Goro snapped.

Jō merely smirked at him. "Hey, I'm older, plus my track record is three times yours. Not to mention I've actually killed people in the real world unlike you in your little Meta…something." He chuckled at the boy's pouty expression before he sharpened up. "From one hitman to another, these three things are vital-be cunning, be ruthless, and lastly…be free."

His nod was vigorous showing he'd heard the words, not time would tell if he truly understood them. "…So, um…is…this the part where we…toast or something?"

"…Naturally, given you've barely touched your bottle." Leered the graying-haired man.

"I'm still a minor." Goro complained.

"Hey, old enough to kill, old enough to drink." Snorted his senior filling up the two bottles. "That's what we say in the business, also, as your unofficial guide, welcome to it, by the way."

With at toast, the two assassins downed their drinks, and did so again and again until their bottle ran empty. Goro was thankful he could at least still see straight and only felt a slight heat building in his cheeks. He should be able to make it back home with Jō at his side. While the latter paid for their meal, he took out his phone to examine the MetaNav. The red eye stared back at him as if daring him to push it and return to the other-world he'd spent two years charting out.

"Are you ready?"

Goro looked back to the man who'd held him to the mirror and made him question what it was he saw. This time he didn't hide the way his lips ticked upward as he led the way out until they were standing in the middle of the bustling streets of Shinjuku. "You might want to try saying that with a bit of a jingle, it'll sound better."

"Huh?"

Jō stared at the teenager as he began walking forward into the crowd, an aura of unseen but felt confidence swirling about him. He knew his words had birthed something, but what that something was he would have to wait a figure out. Chuckling, he took several steps after him, silently pondering what new surprises life would bring for them all when the sun rose and the crow set out into the skies again. In his old bones, he felt a long dormant feeling well up-excitement.

Contrasting to the hitman, the youth that passed him by had a deep frown on his face. It remained as he descended the stairs putting him beneath the colorful lights of Bar Crossroads where he was greeted by its ever-calm and sharp bar-tender.

"Someone looks like they've had a rough day, care for a drink?"

Akira gently placed his bag on the counter top making sure not to disturb Morgana who was inside. The last thing he wanted was Lala having to deal with a chatty cat who she couldn't understand. "Nothing too hard, I've got school tomorrow, on atop of enough crap I'm already dealing with. Where's Ichiko?"

At the sound of her name, the black-haired reporters tumbled through the door, a hand held tightly against her head as she focused her gaze on her surroundings. "Shiiit, that stuff was so stronger than I thought it would be."

"I warned you." Lala snorted. "Let me serve Akira, then I'll get you something for the headache."

As the makeup covered woman went shifting through the racks Ichiko strutted over to the stool besides the high-schooler.

"Sorry, I haven't been able to pickup any new leads on finding the Prince Detective." She said with a deep frown. "From what I was able to find though, everyone seems to be looking for him, guess when a star goes missing people really do lose their minds in the dark, huh?"

"Seems like it," Moaned Akira leaning on his elbow. "Just keep searching if you can. He's out there somewhere, and we…gotta find him before…others do."

* * *

 **I wanted to include the Super Sentai-Kamen Rider debate in the last chapter since it was something I came up with when I envisioned Natsuo's character. That was definitely something I wanted included and I'm glad I was able to fit it in. Make no mistake though, it's far from over. Personally, I do feel Akechi would fit better into Kamen Rider since the franchise is a bit more…complex in characters and their backstories that blur the line between hero and villain, just my opinion though. Please, save any deep discussions for either reserved to a forum. Oh, and congrats to anyone who caught the KR reference as Goro and Jō were leaving Crossroads!**

 **Haru's bit was admittedly an add-on. At first I planned to have the Phantom Thieves bit focus on Sae since she got an extra message but then I remembered Haru's connection to Goro's pretty important too. As you might have also noticed, she's having problems herself. This is another bit of realism I injected based on in-game content, namely since Okumura's business practices were illegal and frowned upon after his death, I imagine all the enemies he made would go for his company, now led by an inexperienced and shell-shocked Haru. Definitely the kind of thing I feel a side story or Haru-centered story could be built on.**

 **Closing it all up was Jō's speech to Goro. It was framed less as one man to another and more to one hitman to another. Most importantly, he is NOT trying to dissuade Goro from pursuing revenge, he's merely advising him to be SMARTER about it. As the Hanged Man, it's his job to make Goro get his priorities in line and affirm if he's REALLY set to go down his current path. As he said, not everyone can walk that straight and narrow path, but once you start walking it you can either go back or keep pushing forward with everything you've got. Their talk was definitely aimed at the latter since Goro knows he can't go back and undo the things he's done, but he can't keep sulking about them forever. All bemoaning the past does is allow the future to pass you by turning you into a ghost.**

 **This brings the first chapter of 2019, and the end of the Oasis Arc. Next chapter will see Goro put all the advice he's been given into usage and the re-opening of the struggle between the Phantom Thieves and Shido! Until then readers!**


	18. Chapter 17-Incendiary Introductions

**Sadly, I had a lot of work I had to get down before I could get down to writing this chapter. Sucks but what are you going to do. This chapter's been a long time coming since it's the accumulation of everything that's happened over the last ten or chapters. Speaking of which, this chapter marks the count down t the end of "act one" of this story, each act basically being a benchmark for the story. Well, enough of that, onto the moment you've all been waiting for.**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 17-Incidenary Introductions**

"Lost One, you have taken several risky gambles, gambles that may leave you with less than what you began with."

What began as a chuckle quickly turned into laughter that resounded through the metaphysical prison dimension. Naturally, Justine remained passive while a scowl quickly formed on Caroline's face. Her baton slammed against the bars of the prison, though this time Goro wasn't scared by the sparks that jumped between the bars. They actually only served to illuminate the determined flame that now burned in his eyes as he stared down the long-nosed man before him. Igor said nothing in response to the look, his mouth hidden behind his folded hands while his milky eyes blankly stared at him.

"You say that like I had much to begin with. In spite of that, I managed to rise up, sure…I may have had help, but I managed to do it." Coolly responded the brown-haired teenager giving his captor a determined glare. Momentarily, his head rose revealing the all-too wide smile that constantly adorned his face. During his few trips to the Velvet Room, Goro had learned even when he was smiling, Igor was still plotting and calculating. In his opinion, it wasn't exactly much of a step-up from Shido. "If you aren't willing to gamble, then how do you expect to win anything? What would you have me do, sit on my heads and knees and wait until the Phantom Thieves or Shido get to me? No, I refuse to be helpless again."

"And you believe you are not by relying on some street urchins and a burnt-out killer for guidance?" His tone was mocking of course. Goro kept his face passive and his emotions contained as he'd done a hundred times before his bastard of a father. Another thing that seemingly separated him from Igor was in how they approached opposition. Shido allowed none while Igor seemed content on attempting to snuff it out with at-first cold and rational logic. At one point, Goro might have fallen for such words, but that was another time. "Lost One," began the long-nosed man. "The road you are taking continues to darken, and the light provided by these…bugs, you truly believe they will light the way? Foolish, foolishness incarnate. You-"

"Everyone's entitled to a little stupidity now and then, besides, you never know when you might catch a lucky break." Goro cut off. Rather than Igor, it were the twins who stepped forward.

"Foolishness, is that what you call it…or perhaps faith would be a better fit." Justine's brow was caressed showing she was in deep thought. Beside her, Caroline seemed to be in a cross of doing the same and wanting to reaching through the bars to hit him. Once it became clear he was intimidated by her the twin with the buns seemed to gain a type of respect for him. Oddly enough, that made her somewhat easier to read. Justine on the other hand, was a bit of a different story. "It is…puzzling, you never had faith in anyone other than yourself…that has…changed?"

Whenever she talked to him, Goro found the braided-haired twin liked to phrase her words as a question, rather directed at him or someone else. As he gave it some thought, it dawned on him that she was seeking something just as much as he was. "Well, that's…I had to change, otherwise I wouldn't have made it this far."

"You call this far? Hah! Inmate B, you've still a long way to go, so don't go patting yourself on the back!" Yelled the fiery-hearted twin crossing her arms. "Yeah, yeah, you learned a lesson, big whoop! Your rehabilitation still has a ways to go before it can even begin to be called complete!"

He stared at the yellow-eyed girl for a full minute, then he laughed. His response naturally fired all of Caroline's buttons resulting in her waving her baton before him, a stream of curses and accusations flying from her lips. _I can now see why Akira does this, and you too, Natsuo. Still, I hate you both for doing it to me._ Thought the young assassin as he patiently waited for the warden to finish. It was quite amusing, and he wasn't the only one who found it to be so. Even if she tried to hide it, Goro caught Justine's lips tick upward at her sister's antics. Briefly, their eyes met and he saw a bit of gratitude in her yellow orbs.

"Lost One," Cut off Igor, having apparently grown impatient. "On this road you may find pieces that may be of use to you to aid in your rehabilitation, but what use are _they_?" His right hand rose revealing his bony-like fingers, which curled and uncurled like spider legs. The smile he was giving him was exactly what a spider's could be like if it could smile. It was a pity he didn't have a fly-swatter or something on hand. "Surely you can find better tools than these, yes, what can pathetic, broken husks such as those people give you? What role do they serve in advancing your goal? Your time has been wasted in parlaying with them, an unwise decision."

"Perhaps," His left fist tightened around the bar, his blood-colored eyes glaring holes in the bald-headed man before him. Igor seemed somewhat amused by the vigor he was putting in opposing him. "But at the end of the day, what I do with my time is my decision. I don't ever recall asking for your approval, hell, I never asked to be brought here at all." A calming sigh slipped from his lips, though his grip on the bars remained resolute. "They helped me…readdress some things, things I probably wouldn't have looked at on my own. Aside from there…it felt nice to be around people who…actually liked me for me."

"That twistedness, that taint?" Inquired the suit-wearing man before breaking out into a fit of dark laughter. "What foolishness."

"But…he too, is a…" Began Justine only to be cut-off by a fierce glare from her Master. Her whole body shivered, like a child realizing they'd spoken out when they shouldn't have.

A protectiveness swelled up within the teenager, and a bit of anger. "Hey," he barked catching the long-nosed man's attention. "I'll say it again, I'm not beholden to you and whatever agenda you've got planned out for me."

Igor's milky eyes swerved to Goro, their arctic gaze piercing the Persona-user's very soul. "You'd best watch your tone, _Lost One_. This is _my_ domain, I am lord and master of all things in it, including _you_."

"Then go ahead and squash me, but don't waste my time by dragging this out." Fired back the runaway Wild Card with narrowed eyes. Igor's gaze hardened, and with it, Goro could have sworn the air in the prison grew thicker. He coolly inhaled through his nose and breathed out the same way, his gaze never wavering.

The light fog that once hung low to the ground of the prison now floated upward reaching almost waist-level. While never particular warm, the temperature took a seemingly sharp nosedive, any colder and it wouldn't have been a surprise if ice began to form. Given the way physics worked in the dream-like world such a thing seemed likely to happen any second. Just as likely was the sudden closing in of Goro's cell, swift and unstoppable leaving him little more than a red simmer on the wall. Everything about his posture told him he was ready for such an outcome.

"Hehehe…hehehe…"

With near robotic slowness, the so-called master of the Velvet Room turned his head to his right. What he saw didn't amuse him in the slightest.

"You've really grown a pair, Inmate B. Gotta admit, I'm actually impressed. Before, I didn't think there was much hope for you, but you sure have turned things around, at least from where I'm standing." Caroline's baton lay across her shoulder, a look of content bliss on her face. For the first time since the "meeting" began, joy could be seen on Caroline's face. "Power…isn't much use when there's no will to use it. It's even less useful…when you don't have a cause worth using it for. Inmate B, you've got a cause, don't you?"

Warmth, small as it was, but it was definitely there. "I've got a second one now, though I'm not sure how long it'll last." His laugh was humorless, though his eyes cackled with a flickering hope. "To be honest with you, I can't say how long…they'll accept me, I've got a bad habit of screwing up everything I touch…but I can't let that stop me. No, I _won't_ let it stop me."

"Put your faith in other people…that's a massive gamble, you know." Spoke up Justine, looking a bit less frightened then she had a moment ago. "They are thieves, liars, and murders, just like you. You…how do you know you can trust them, especially since your own heart is divided?"

He'd been expecting that sort of question. Usually, a logical answer would have followed it, but Goro had learned that logic wasn't always the solution, nor was it something he that needed to be followed every single time. "Like I said, it's just a gamble I'll have to take. Like a…like…like a friend told me, I've still got wings that can take me where I want to go and a beak and claws to defend myself. Even if it's a storm, I'm still going to fly through it. Sure, I'll lose some feathers or get struck down, but it's a risk I'm willing to take."

All around the prison, chains rattled. It took Goro and even the wardens a second to realize it was because of laughter, deep, booming laughter that could have frozen over the flames of hell. Goro recognized the sound well, and force once he took comfort in it.

" **As you can see, the boy's heart has grown strong. Igor, you will not shake it, not this day."**

From thin air they materialized, bound, but in safe enough condition for Goro. Both of his Person were bound in jet-black chains, though their faces showed their constriction was in no way a hindrance. As Goro examined Robin Hood and Loki he realized something, their bodies were glowing ever so slightly. He could see it as he focused his attention on them-a thin blue outline that shimmered like stardust. When their gaze met his, they both smiled, each in their own way of course.

Loki turned to Igor, his red-tinted teeth showing as he met the bald-headed man's glare with a grin. **"My, oh my, it seems someone is running out of tricks to pull. A shame isn't it, when your dear plans** _ **don't**_ **go the way you wanted, isn't it?"**

It was brief as a flash of lightning, but Goro caught it. Inside his chest, his heart skipped a beat. Igor's eyes, once filled with annoyance at best, suddenly flared up with hostility. The twins had gone disturbingly silent, no doubt feeling the tension in the air and deciding it was best not to add to it. Goro could agree with their decision. With near trembling rage, Igor raised his hand, though it wasn't at his Personas, it was toward Goro himself. Bracing himself, he suddenly felt an otherworldly force begin to pull at him. Biting his lip, he knew he had to act fast.

"Who's Nameless?" He shouted already knowing he wasn't going to get an answer.

The hostility in Igor's eyes rose again, but this time there was something else there.

Alarm, panic.

"Name…less?" Began Justine suddenly clenching her head.

His vision was growing darker by the second, yet he continued to fight against it seeing as his words had seemingly hit.

"What the…hell kind of name is…" Spoke Caroline before her lone eye flashed azure-blue. "That…person is…without him…this place…this place…"

The darkness was about to win, he could feel it. And yet, in spite of that, as the blackness swallowed him, Goro's sense of hearing remained stellar as his ears registered the rest of Caroline's sentence.

"…this place…could really use his…music. It…hasn't…been the…same…since."

* * *

 _ **November 20**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 7:28 AM**_

 _ **Hashioka Residence…**_

Goro tried not to think too hard about his mid-night Velvet Room meeting, he had enough on his mind to think about. At the least he was thankful that after he woke up, he fell back asleep within the next half-hour, his dreams peaceful and quiet. That didn't mean he forgot about how the verbal showdown between him and Igor had gone, instead, it had merely been pushed to the back of his mind. He could contemplate it all at a later date, specifically after he'd hooked up with Akira and the rest of the team. Perhaps his black-haired counterpart could help him make sense of it all.

"Blueberry or chocolate?"

"Hm?"

He'd been damned if he told Natsuo how attractive she looked with a bedhead. Her fiery-hair was wild and unkempt showing she'd yet to brush it, it only added to the sort of wild beauty she possessed standing before him in nothing but shorts and a t-shirt. Goro kept his jaw sealed shut as his eyes did a quick scan of her body before settling on her face. There was no fear, anger, happiness, or anything that set off alarm bells. A simple question that needed a simple answer.

"I'll have whatever Shuya or Jō are having." He answered throwing the wash-rag over his neck.

Natsuo shrugged. "Blueberry it is, come down when you're ready, we've still got some planning to do, right?"

"Yes…we do." She turned on her heel and left him to finish washing up. Goro turned to look at himself in the mirror; his face was mostly the same, but the person behind it seemed like someone entirely new. A hand ran through his hair seeking out any white strands that may have cropped up. When he set out on his quest for vengeance Goro had a gut feeling he was going to end up with at least one or two. So far, nothing yet. _But for how long though? I guess I just haven't hit the big one yet, hard to believe, and a little scary._ He finished cleaning off his face then made his way downstairs where he found a site he'd grown somewhat accustomed to.

Jō was up early, somewhat surprising given he usually slept in until maybe nine or so, at least when nothing was going on. He looked up from the paper to greet him with a nod of the head before getting back to his reading. Shuya was sad of course, but once his eyes met Goro's he put up a smile. Natsuo was at the stove preparing breakfast. Looking to them all with an honest smile, he joined the oldest Hashioka, who happily thanked him for his help. Less than ten minutes later and they were all seated at the table, breakfast before them with everyone digging in. Even if he hadn't done much in terms of preparation, they Shuya and Jō still directed thanks his way causing him to shyly look away. Out of the corner of his eye he caught Natsuo smirking in his direction.

Everyone had eaten finished off at least two full pancakes before the mood at the dinner table shifted. It was of course Jō who decided to break the ice. "So, you're still going through with it?"

Placing his knife and fork down, Goro laid his hands flat against the table, his eyes downcast yet his posture speaking of a quiet determination. "Yes, I am. Do you…" There was a quick sigh as he looked to each of his caretakers. "Natsuo, Shuya, Jō, none of you have to come with me. I can…I can go myself."

"You could," Began Natsuo leaning her head back before looking to him with a wink. "But we're not going to let you. Like we said, you're part of this little family, and we Hashiokas look after our own, so we're going with you. Besides, I picked the location, didn't I?"

At that, Goro couldn't help but chuckle. She indeed had picked the location for him to meet back up with his so-called teammates. It was funny really, his hands couldn't stop trembling as he typed out the message on his phone, and as Akira so readily replied to his texts. When the topic of a meeting place came up Goro paused so he could think of somewhere. Natsuo, who'd been hovering over him, quickly took the phone from his hands and typed in a location. She'd chosen Hachiya Square, which was little more than ten blocks from the Hashioka household, easily walkable by himself. That said, Goro had learned that trouble had a tendency to strike when one least expected it, not to mention he was still a wanted man; it'd only take one slip up for him to be caught and bring the whole world crashing down on not just his shoulders but those of his allies.

Hachiya Square was decently crowded at any given time of day or week given its collection of restaurants, shops, and general-hangouts. Being within walking distance of the Ministry of Defense also meant that quite a number of government walkers frequented the street and surrounding area. And college students with some free time on their hands. Natsuo knew that of course, she spent some time around the area, either for pleasure or information gathering so for her it'd be like any other day, the same applied to Shuya and Jō as he'd learned. All of it would make for good cover so he and the rest of the team could meet up, and hopefully the Hashiokas could return home with no one being none the wiser.

The fact that he could easily see it all play out was exactly what worried Goro. For that reason, he felt obligated to make one last vein effort to dissuade his caretakers from putting themselves at further risk for his sake. "You know, I feel like a little kid that needs to be walked to the bus stop."

"Well, you do have a super big target on your head." Began Natsuo in a sing-song voice.

"And you're being pursued by Terashima the Terror." Echoed Shuya before stuffing his mouth. Almost a minute later and he swallowed the delicious lump in his mouth then ingesting some apple juice resulting in a positively gluttonous burp. "Besides, it'd feel like a waste of time if something happened to you after everything…we've…all been through." The youngest Hashioka leaned back in his seat, his dark eyes finally becoming overwhelmed with sadness as he glanced to the older male. "Do you really have to go?"

A depressed sigh fell from the lips of the other two at the table while Goro merely focused his gaze on the young artist. He couldn't help but return the fourteen-year-old's frown with one of his own. "I have to, Shuya, but that doesn't mean I'm going away forever you know. You're still going to see me again."

"Yeah, but he doesn't want to see the fake you that's always on the cameras." Snorted Natsuo before her own face melted into a sad frown. "Look, we may not know all the finer details, but you better not forget about us! You made me a promise, and you're keeping it even if it means I have to track you down and beat your ass!"

That was just what was needed to breakup the tension-filled mood. It got all three of the males to laugh, with Goro's laughter being the loudest. Who knew in just three short days he'd go from being annoyed by a person to truly liking them. "Right, right, I did make you a promise, and unlike a few others, I do plan on keeping it. Granted, from this point onward, I can't promise you it's going to be smooth-sailing."

Natsuo gave him a dry stare. "…Have you learned absolutely _nothing_ from your stay here in this house of misfits?"

"…Point." Goro's red eyes drifted back over to Shuya, who'd resorted to fidgeting in his seat. He'd already made it clear he was going with the rest of them, school be damned. That's something Goro could respect. "Shuya," he began catching the boy's attention. A light layer of sweat was beginning to accumulate on his forehead owing to his nervousness, it only grew with his sister and uncle looking his way. "Whatever it is, just say it, better you get it off your chest now then wait until later."

"That's…just it." His whisper would have been hard to make out, but the three sitting at the table had honed their senses to the point they could hear him just fine. With a heavy-hearted sigh, the fourteen-year-old sat upright, the aura of worry still weighing him down. "Well…you see, I know today's pretty important for you, but I was…hoping you'd come shopping with me."

"Shuya," Sighed Jō. "If it's something like that you could have just asked me to do it, or waited until school let out."

Dark green finally met dark red as the owner of the latter gathered up the courage to speak. "Today…the mall on the block before the café you're due to meet at, they're going to receive their first shipment of new toys. One of those toys is the…new Silver Soaring Shooter."

"WHAT?!"

Natsuo's mouth dropped in shock while Jō's eyebrow merely rose. His…Toku-senses as he'd dubbed them were tingling, hard.

The hitman's hands trembled as he stared at the younger boy before him, his eyes wide showing his disbelief. "Y-Y-Y-You m-m-m-mean, t-the firearm used by Silver Falcon? B-But it's not due to be released for another two weeks!"

"Well, this shop I mentioned it's…um," Shuya's fingers began to twiddle as he felt his sister's gaze bore into him. "Alright, fine, it's a pawn shop that's getting a few in early before anyone else. I heard it from a friend and I was hoping _one_ of you would be kind enough to go get it with me."

"You've got to me kidding me." Groaned the flame-haired girl throwing a hand over her face.

"S-Shuya!" Snapped the brown-haired teen, his hands still lying flat against the table. "This is the real deal, right? As in it's not just a chip repaint or mish-mash of previous blasters or something?"

Pride swelled within the boy's eyes. "Trust me, my sources are reliable."

Natsuo couldn't hold back the mocking laugh as she heard her brother explain himself. In response, he merely gave her a sideways glare before returning his attention back on Goro.

"I-It comes with all of the…all…of the…Tori-Tori Booster Barrels?" Inquired the young hitman to which the boy nodded in confirmation. "All of them?" He nodded again. Goro's back straightened up with his eyes now burning with a resolute fire. "Very well then, before we rendezvous with my teammates, we shall stop by this pawn shop to collect Shuya's latest collection piece then continue on with pre-scheduled business."

The oldest Hashioka leaned back in her seat, an arm over her face as she let out an agitated groan. Meanwhile, Jō placed his coffee mug down after having taken a nice long sip. "Excuse me, but I'd like to know what this newest piece of plastic I'm set to spend money on is."

Goro and Shuya looked at one another with focused stares. Shuya nodded before looking to his uncle. "As of three weeks ago, the Phoenix Rangerman Team was joined by their expected sixth ranger, Feather Silver Falcon, AKA Feather Falcon. He is a mysterious, solitary man with a heart of polished silver steel tempered by the flames or righteousness."

"His goals remain shrouded in mystery, yet one thing remains certain, he is an ally of justice." Continued Goro slowly raising his fist. "The Silver Soaring Shooter, or S3 for short, is his personal weapon, a pistol-like weapon whose bullets are rays of light that streak through the sky, driving away the darkness to reveal the light of hope."

"As he's learned the value of companionship and teamwork, Feather Falcon has found himself blessed with additional power-ups for his blaster, the Tori-Tori Booster Barrels." Shuya echoed. "Each barrel provides a different effect, but their power is great and in the right hands,"

"They shall become the tool that lights the way to peace for the Earth and its people!" Concluded the seventeen-year-old and fourteen-year-old in perfect unison.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

Slowly, Goro and Shuya opened their eyes to find their listeners staring at them. Natsuo was…annoyed to put it lightly. Jō didn't look like anything. Sweat subtly began to gather on the foreheads of both boys as they watched the older man reach for his coffee mug. After a rather drawn out drink, he faced the three youngsters before him.

"We go pickup this glorified pee-shooter, drop Goro off, then come right back here. As soon as you're settled in, contact us to let us know you're alright then we all go from there. Any questions?"

The orange-haired Hashioka sighed in defeat while her brother grinned. Mirroring his expression was the runaway Wild Card, who looked like his face was going to splint open any second. Laughing, the younger of the pair held out his hand, the older one happily complied with his request, slapping his palm against his.

Ten minutes later and breakfast was officially concluded, all members of the household gone off to make ready for what they knew was going to be a tension-filled journey of only a few blocks. None of them knew how the day was going to go, but they refused to be caught flat-footed, or at least Goro didn't. Still, in spite of knowing the dangers he'd be facing and opening the Hashiokas open to there was a slight pep in his movements that he couldn't deny. The rush he'd felt from breakfast had yet to dissipated, and for some reason he was rather thankful for that.

"Thank you."

Calmly, he stopped his packing to turn his head. Unsurprisingly, Jō was standing in the doorway; what was a surprise was the fact he was smiling. Goro had seen that smile before, it had a way to put his heart at ease. "I haven't done anything to deserve being thanked for. I'm wasting more of your time."

"I'm getting to spend time with my family, that's more than enough. Speaking of family, you gave Shuya the confidence talk I never could." Chuckled the veteran assassin striding forward. "Goro, you've still got a ways' to go, but as your senpai, I can say you're making good progress, here."

He didn't know how to respond to Jō pulling his hands forward so he could place a gun in it. The Glock 19 felt oddly light in his hands, at least when compared to the weight of his suppressor-mounted pistol. It wouldn't have been off-base to say that he'd grown uncomfortable used to being around real firearms, not the toys and props that Akira dealt with. Yet another striking difference between them, not to mention Akira would rather bite his tongue than ever fire a loaded firearm at another human-being with the intent to kill. "Is this…what I think it is?" He finally said looking Jō in the eye.

"I told you, we took care of the gun." He simply answered as if he were returning a wrench or vacuum cleaner. The bearded man's arms crossed and his posture had gone from mellow to somewhat hardened. In response, Goro stood up straighter, his eyes focused and his jaw set. He was ready to listen. "Like I said, you've still got a ways to go, and you're going to need a _real_ gun, either now or sometime down the road."

"You're coming prepared too, aren't you?" It was a simple deduction, everything he'd learned about Jō Shishido told him he was a man who lived every day with a finger always on the trigger. Some would have called it a dark and even monstrous way to live, but those were people who hadn't immersed themselves in the world of death and shadows. They knew nothing. "If it comes down to it, I can handle myself in a firefight, just look after your niece and nephews."

Jō reached around him to place something in his duffel bag, ammo cartridges. There was no need to give him warnings about them, Goro was old enough to know how to handle himself and his equipment. "Should things come to that, I will do what I must, while you must do the same, Understood?"

His grip tightened as he turned to meet Jō's dark brown eyes. "Yes, I will."

"Do you still have sight of your target?"

"…Yes, I do."

Like a sudden shift in the wind, he smiled. Jō's right hand patted Goro's shoulder. Tension flowed out of the room through the cracked open window. "Then get to packing, and don't worry if you forget anything. Should all else fail, you can come back here, consider the Hashioka home your safehouse."

"There you go again," Chuckled Goro lowering his gaze while his lips ticked upward. "Being overly nice to me."

"And I'll say it again, I'm a senpai helping out his kohai." Replied the ex-gangster with a soft smile. "Not all of bastards can have superheroine moms, but those of us that don't make do with what we have."

With those parting words, Jō left Goro to continue his packing in solitude, and the gun still in his hands. Glancing down, the teenager couldn't help but feel a strange sense of attachment to the firearm. Had things gone differently, the weapon could have been the one that brought his life to an end, and now it stood the chance to safeguard his and those of the few people he'd come to care about. Fate truly was full of strange ironies, many of which he was still trying to figure out. After turning over the weapon in his hands he finally wrapped his fingers around the grip and took aim with it, the barrel pointed toward the open window across from him. Almost half a second after striking the pose, he lowered his gun, a look of calmness sliding over his face.

"You just won't leave me alone, will you?"

It was stupid to ask an insect a question, even if it was glowing, but over the last three days Goro had done a lot "stupid" things he'd learned to live with. One of these days he was going to have to see a doctor about getting his head examined.

* * *

 _ **Ichigaya, 10:09 AM…**_

"You're getting jumpy again."

The Persona-user's face screwed up even though he knew his female companion was right. "Can you blame me?"

Natsuo gave him a physical answer instead of a verbal one. Her hand reached out and fell upon his shoulder, with it came a soothing wave that spread through the whole of his body. Such a thing was another interesting turnaround for him; normally, he'd spurn such physical contact, but when it came to the Hashiokas, he simply couldn't. Natsuo in particular had a way of calming him down he felt his emotions beginning to get out of hand. Personally, he chalked that up to the fact she too lived life suppressing her frustrations and hatred. Arguably, the difference between them was the fact he had the power to express his inner darkness, a power that he was beginning to think had gone to his head leaving him unbalanced. Therefore, it fell to the fiery-haired girl and her brother and uncle to re address the balance. After this day, would the Phantom Thieves have to do the same for him, or had he grown enough to do so himself?

Just like the morning he'd began his climb back up; the sun was shining in spite of the air being quite frigid. In spite of that, hundreds of people were going about their business, headless of the former hitman watching over his niece and nephew, or the so-called Great Prince Detective impatiently waiting out the clock. Speaking of which, Goro's eyes swept over the decent-sized café that had been designated as the meeting place. To his left sat Shuya and Jō, the former intensely scribbling into one of his notebook. At his feet sat a shopping bag that contained the prized collection piece the group of four had carved out some time to acquire. As far as Goro was concerned, it was time well spent, the S3 truly had been a thing of beauty, and he looked forward to coming back to the Hashioka home to see it proudly on display.

 _I want to come back._ That realization bounced around in his head nearly driving away the anxiety he felt in regards to the up incoming meeting.

 _ **That happens when you find a home, a good home.**_ Started Robin appearing at his backside.

 _ **Now that you've made a commitment, you might want to try to make it back, if only to see if the thing actually works.**_ Loki added tapping his fingers against Goro's head. He'd grown accustomed to the horn-eyed Persona toying with his cranium, it seemed to be a favorite pass-time for him. _**Oh, and look to your right, perhaps you should have bought some catnip.**_

"Uh?"

He glanced to his right, his heart already sure of what he'd find. Fittingly enough, his eyes caught site of a familiar black feline who was staring back at him. Immediately, Goro rose from his seat and walked over to the sidewalk. With equal vigor, the black cat totted over and jumped into his arms.

"Crow! It's about time we found you!" Proclaimed Morgana looking at him with the nearest thing a cat could give to a grin. "It's nice to see that you're okay."

The level of affection in the talking feline's face was surprising, yet somehow, Goro was able to process it rather quickly. His mouth opened to speak, but his female companion beat him to the punch, again.

"Cool cat, never seen one with eyes that blue before." She of course, caught both of them off-guard. Morgana expectedly jumped in Goro's arms forcing him to talk him down. Needless to say, to Natsuo, it was quite the unusual sight. "You know, I honestly never figured you for a cat person."

"Neither did I, and for the record, Morgana's not just a cat." He ignored the way Mona's ears perked up and his eyes twinkled with shock, and even relief at his words. "Where's Akira?"

"Yo!"

He'd thought he'd be ready for when he heard his voice for real. Goro thought he'd feel an immediate impulse to rip Akira's head off or claw his eyes out, circumstances be damned. He felt no such thing, only an odd sense of…relief. That, he chalked up to the fact Makoto was standing beside him, and she looked ecstatic to see him.

Both of them had their autumn coats on, as did Ann and Ryuji, who came up behind them. The former gave him a soft smile while the delinquent looked to the side, his expression as pouty as he'd expected. Futaba hid behind Yusuke making it a bit harder to read her expression, but if he had to guess it was the presence of Natsuo that had her keeping her distance. The team's painter and pseudo-samurai looked to him then to Natsuo; Goro saw Yusuke's eyes soften in the same way Makoto's had. Lastly, there was Haru, who he'd been dreading facing. Why did she have to smile at him? Why did she have to look like she just found her long lost kitten or something after spending God knows how long worrying over them? Why couldn't she have just turned away from him like Ryuji was doing?

All of those thoughts were mute as the Phantom Thieves steadily approached them. Goro could feel his body slowly but certainly breaking out in the shakes, at least until he felt Natsuo's hand slip into his.

"Thank you for looking after him." Akira's voice was so…normal, even, as if this entire ordeal were nothing but a small speed bump that was forgotten about as quickly as it was overcome.

Natsuo's lips curved upward into a smile as she held up her free hand. "Oh, it was no trouble. It was actually kind of fun looking after bird-boy here." She knew what she was saying, and the effects of her words became immediate. Even Ryuji, who was trying to look as uninterested as possible snapped to attention. Each member of the Phantom Thieves, Morgana included, looked to Natsuo with eyes wide in alarm. "Hey, hey, relax, our lips are sealed shut."

It was then that the rest of the Hashioka family joined them. Perfecting time as Goro would have liked to have said. He tried not to imagine how this whole thing must have looked; thankfully, those around them paid the two groups little mind and continued on with their day as if there was nothing wrong. Looking to Shuya, he wasn't surprised to find the fourteen-year-old looking at the Phantom Thieves with a mixture of awe and skepticism. Goro honestly had no idea what he'd been expecting, but he recognized that analytical look in his eyes, having been on the receiving end of it several times. As for Jō…

"What is it?" Whispered the younger hitman noticing the veteran's gaze wasn't directed at the teenage thieves before him, in fat, his brow was caressed as if he were deep in thought. That look alone put Goro on edge. Instantly, he forgot about the previous unease and scoured the surrounding area for anything out of the ordinary. "Jō,"

He jerked his head to the left. Following his gaze, he saw what looked to be a construction crew jackhammering into the street. For all intents and purposes, nothing looked out of the ordinary.

And that's exactly what set off all the alarm bells in Goro's head.

"Are they scheduled to be working on this street today?" He already knew the answer, and so too did Natsuo, who'd been listening in.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Akira's face growing darker by the second. He'd caught on as well.

"No," Answered the only adult of the group. "Last I checked, they weren't."

Whoever was about to speak next never got the chance to as the earth itself cut them off. As anyone who'd lived in Tokyo could tell you, earthquakes were not things to be taken lightly. Not at all.

"Oh, you've got to be effin' kidding me!" Shouted Ryuji as he caught Ann who lost her balance as the ground beneath their feet shook. "Shouldn't we get to cover or something?!"

Akira's eyes met Goro's. Around them, their allies clung to one another while they focused their attention toward finding the source of the disturbance. In near unison, their gaze turned to the far left where Jō had pointed out where construction was being done. Suddenly, both boys felt all the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end.

 _ **Akira!**_ Screamed Arsene.

 _ **Brace yourselves!**_ Echoed Robin.

 _For what?!_ Yelled the black-haired teen feeling his heart skip a beat. Not a second later and his ears came under assault from a sound that he could only describe as hell itself. His hands went to his ears as did those of his teammates, but not the Hashiokas.

 _Don't make us guess!_ Called Goro as he attempted to get to his feet. Natsuo called for him to get down but he wouldn't listen. Something in his gut was telling him that danger was coming, and in seconds it would be upon them. His guess proved right as he focused his gaze across the street to where the so-called maintenance was being done. Already he'd deduce some sort of gas-mane or such had been hit, probably intentionally.

 _ **From this moment onward, you children must put all you have into survival.**_ Came Loki's voice devoid of anything resembling humor. That fact made Goro's racing blood turn ice cold. _**It's war from this moment onward, and in war only the strong have any hope of survival!**_

It was then he saw it in spite of being over fifteen or so feet away. One of the "workers" had hauled it up giving Goro a splint-second view of the device. It was about the size of a water cooler, cylinder-like and metallic. In the center and at the top rings were spinning at near break-neck speeds with arcs of blue lightning jumping through the air. He opened his mouth to shout, what he had no idea, but Goro knew he had to get the word out. Too late, a series of lights occupied the strange object before the piercing sound suddenly ceased.

And then came the wave of snow-white light.

His body acted on impulse, throwing itself over Natsuo, who'd thrown herself Shuya. He had no idea what was coming next, but he knew one thing-he'd be damned if he let anything happened to the Hashiokas after they helped bring him this far.

* * *

The air was stall and scented with blood. The ground was cold as could be yet as he moved his hand, he could have sworn he felt moisture here and there.

"You've got to be shittin' me." Groaned the holder of the Justice arcana as he fought to keep his eyes shut.

"Wish we were, but 'fraid not." Came the familiar voice of one Akira Kurusu. "You okay?"

"Define okay for me then I'll get back to you." He said hoping to keep his eyes closed for a minute longer. Eventually, he could no longer bare it thus opened his red-colored eyes. Akira's white and black-lined mask stared back at him as did Makoto's metallic mask. She reached out a hand to him and the took it. "How the hell did we end up in Mementos?"

Very little in the subterranean realm had changed, which was something Goro was slightly grateful for. He'd been thrown enough surprises for one month. In the distance he heard the roar of a subway train. The same empty wind as before blew through the blood-soaked tunnels that made up the alternate world's unnatural layout. Feeling around, he wasn't at all surprised to find his Phantom Thief mask, that was good, he wasn't sure he wanted the Hashiokas seeing his Black Mask outfit. Not yet. Speaking of which,

"Shuya! Natsuo! Jō!" Shouted the young hitman turning about in all directions.

"No need to shout, especially since God-knows-what could be lurking around here."

Jō's voice was relaxed, frankly, too relaxed for the situation. Finally, the brown-haired teen laid eyes on his caretakers…and they looked better than he'd expected. They were all together under the watchful eyes of Morgana, now in his true form, Yusuke, and Haru. Immediately, he jogged over to them, his eyes examining every member of the trio for any scratches or injuries. Thankfully, there appeared to be none.

Natsuo was the first to meet him. For once the free-spirited girl seemed a tad shaken. Only a tad though. "You seriously weren't kidding about this place being weird. Like X-Files weird, and then some!"

Just as she began to turn around, Goro grabbed her by the arm. "Are you okay?" Natsuo said nothing at the physical contact, all she did was nod her head then give him a soft smile. He looked over to Jō and Shuya. They gave a similar response, though Shuya turned his head back to continue marveling at the twisted underground world. He didn't know if he should have been happy he was taking things in stride or worried the middle-schooler was seemingly dazzled by the metaphysical world.

"You know, I gotta say, it's nice to see your softer side. Hell, it's nice to see you even have one." Came Ann's voice followed by a quick bit of laughter. Following a quick glance in her direction Goro realized he was still holding Natsuo's arm. Immediately, he pulled his hand away, though by then it was already too late.

"Uh, okay, can anyone explain to me what in the hell just happened?" Grumbled Ryuji kicking a spare piece of rumble to the side. "I mean, seriously? First an earthquake and now we're here in the Metaverse, I mean seriously, what the hell was that?"

"A trap." Correctly deduced Yusuke crossing his arms.

"Agreed." Finally spoke up Jō bringing the teens' attention toward him. Much like Shuya, his reaction to the supernatural world was more…subdued. Goro recognized the look in his dark brown eyes, it was one of analysis, of a predator scooping out the terrain in which its prey lay. Internally, he breathed a sigh of relief in seeing the veteran assassin taking the supernatural world so calmly as he could. "Someone knew where we were going to be meeting up and laid a trap, a pretty damn good one." His gaze flickered to Goro while his hands slipped into his pockets. "So, this is your hunting ground, huh? I do believe I've been underestimating you a bit, my little kohai."

"Kohai?" Inquired Makoto raising an eyebrow while Goro ducked his head in embarrassment. "Um, Ak-I-I mean Crow, who-"

"They know." Of course, things had gone off track. Though he wasn't exactly a believer in luck, Goro had resigned himself to the notion in his life if something could go wrong odds were, it would go wrong. Or at least go so sideways he'd want to tear his hair out in frustration.

"Hold on a second," Spoke up Ryuji looking visibly unnerved for the first time. His gaze flickered between the two siblings and older man. Only Natsuo grinned at him while her male relatives gave him dual dry stares. "W-When you say they know you don't mean that they-"

"Skull," Goro cut-off. "They know…everything. Everything about Shido, about me…they…"

"We know this guy here is the bastard son of the possibly-maybe Prime Minister of Japan, who happens to be a colossal dick." Laughed Natsuo as another train horn blew. Of course, that caused the entire team of teenage thieves to flinch, including Morgana. "Hey, hey, before you get to blaming him for spilling the beans, just know it was part of the deal!"

"What deal? Crow, what were you doing while you were gone?" Screeched Morgana looking like a cross between panicked and annoyed.

"Fighting off the urge to eat a bullet curtsy of this orange-haired thing beside me." Came his dry reply.

"Ooh, good to see you haven't changed too much. Speaking of which, cool mask by the way." Grinning, she ran her finger across the extended nose, gently pressing down on the end causing it to bob up and down. "Gotta say, the long-nose suits you, say, is it sharp enough to pierce through steel or something?"

"You know, I've honestly wondered about that myself." Chimed in Akira putting a hand to his chin. "I've been wondering if we could create some sort of attack that turns Crow here into a human torpedo."

"He's certainly got the face for it." Noted Futaba.

Goro's teeth gnashed as Natsuo and Shuya broke out into audible chuckles. "Fine then, if you get to use me as a human-dart, then Ryuji has to be made into a battering ram. We all know his head's hard enough to bust down a reinforced steel door."

"Hey!" Snapped the dyed-hair teen waving his fist. "Real nice way to talk about the guys who came half-way across town to save you!"

"I didn't ask you to come look for me! I asked you guys to stop Shido!" Shouted back the bastard child.

"If we did that and you weren't a part of the take-down, we'd never hear the end of your sulking." Akira drily cut-in causing Goro's glare to snap to him.

"I don't think you're going to win this one so just give up while you're ahead." Of course, Shuya had to choose that moment to speak up. While the older brown-haired teen steamed then hung his head in sorrowful defeat, Shuya turned his attention elsewhere. Morgana, tail wagged as he became the subject of the boy's penetrating stare. All eyes turned to the pair in silence as the boy made his way over until he was eye-to-eye with the humanoid feline.

"U-U-Um, hi? N-Nice to…meet you?" Stammered the animalistic member of the Phantom Thieves of Heart. The more he stared at the boy and the more he stared at him made his black fur begin to stand on end.

"…Now I can understand why Goro was talking to you as if you could understand what he was saying. You can understand human-language, can't you?" Spoke the youngest Hashioka plainly.

"O-O-Of course I can!" He immediately fired back. "I was once human, ya' know!"

"Seriously? Then this place really is X-Files-level weird!" Natsuo ignored Morgana's cries of annoyance and even threats as she effortlessly raised the blue-eyed cat up with one hand. Seeing it, Goro for the first time wondered exactly how much Morgana weighed. Sadly, for him, his cries went on deaf ears as the rest of the Phantoms merely watched with muted interest, and in the case of Ryuji, a smile, as the flame-haired girl proceeded to examine him as if he were a Chinese vase. "Woah, just like something out of a cartoon! I guess this rounds out the team quite nicely, huh, Goro!"

"Um, excuse me." It took some time, but finally Haru stepped up to speak. Rather it was because of her curiosity or Morgana's visible discomfort, Goro could only guess. "First off, could you please put Mona down, I believe you're scaring him."

"Like hell I'm scared! Dammit, this is no way for a Phantom Thief to be treated!"

"It is when they're barely three-feet-tall, furry, and look like something that popped out of an afterschool cartoon." Stated Jō. "Natsuo, please put the talking cat-"

"I'm not a cat!"

"You look like a cat in the real world and in this weird place, you probably have a fondness for sushi, and you even have a cute cat-like name, Mona." Spoke up Shuya taking Morgana from his sister. For the first time, the green-eyed boy smiled. "You're the coolest cat I've ever seen."

Rather than blow-up again, Morgana's mouth dropped in realization he'd just been complimented. He spied Haru, Ann, and even Futaba smile in seeing the positive interaction between the two. Frankly, a part of Goro wasn't surprised, Morgana may have been a talkative one, but he always had a feeling that he'd be able to connect with Shuya.

Natsuo's whistling caught his attention. "Gotta say, quite a crackpot team, a little wilder than what I was expecting." Her gaze began to circumvent the assembled Phantom Thieves, first up was Ryuji and Makoto. "Two junior member of Hell's Angels, Catwoman's long lost daughter, a Tron program, a Three musketeers cosplayer, and…" Her right hand went to her chin as she stared intensely at the fox-masked Yusuke.

"What?" Rather than be offended or even annoyed, Yusuke seemed genuinely interested in what Natsuo's comparison of him would be.

"If it makes you feel any better, we've been wondering what Yusuke's outfit is supposed to be too." Spoke up Ann.

"I'd say some kind of cowboy but…I don't think I've ever seen a cowboy wear a fox-tail attachment on the end." Offered Jō examining the blue-haired thief. "How's about just a plain outlaw?"

"Thanks, Uncle Jō, that'll work." Continuing her examination, she let her eyes fall upon Morgana, who flinched as she grinned like a Cheshire cat. "And a talking humanoid cat who might as well be the team mascot."

"I'm not a cat! And what the hell do you mean team mascot?!" Screeched Morgana looking ready to break out his cutlass any second now.

"You know, I actually think she's got a point on that one." Noted Makoto followed by Akira nodding his head.

"Your face is pretty marketable." Echoed the red-gloved teen before stepping before Natsuo with a smirk dancing on his lips. "What about me, what do I look like?"

"A real thief," She grinned. Unexpectedly, Natsuo snapped to Goro with the same insidious smile on her face. Having seen it several times, he was ready for it. "Pitch-black like the night, it's a nice contrast to prince-charming here. Speaking of which, I thought you were a bit of a stiff, Goro, but I was wrong!" Placing her hands on her hips, she leered at him like a snake before lunging at its prey. "That princely-white outfit of yours, gotta say, it looks damn good on you. Goro Akechi, the bastard prince of Japan!"

In the empty hollow of Mementos, Natsuo's words rung out like thunder, and like leaves in the wind, the Phantom Thieves were left shaken. Several of them had looks of agape shock on their faces while the more reserved Akira kept his jaw shut. His dark-gray eyes met Goro's, who remained as dead and unreadable as a fish. It wasn't just him, Haru and Makoto were looking to him, visible concern on their faces.

"H-H-Hey," Ryuji too? Apparently Natsuo's words had penetrated deeper than he'd thought. "Listen, I know we just met and all, but don't you think you're being a bit-"

"I was wondering when someone was going to figure it out." It was amazing how…liberated he felt in that brief moment, like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. In a way, it only felt normal for Natsuo to be the one to do it; a more accurate way to say it might have been she merely set fire to the burden. From there, it merely burned away. Before he knew it, laughter was slipping through his lips. He felt it-the unease, the worry, and even fear, from onlookers as they watched him descend into a miniature laughing fit. _Alright, I'm glad I got that out of my system. Now onto the matter of getting us all out of here, preferable with what little remains of our sanity._ Standing upright, he ignored the looks he received from his teammates. "Allow me to introduce the-"

"Natsuo Hashioka, aspiring writer and self-proclaimed Kamen Rider super-fan." Yes, it was only fitting Natsuo was going to introduce herself, especially after making such a scene.

Her younger brother came up next, taking his place beside her. "Shuya Hashioka…um…nice to meet all of you."

"Just call me Jō Shishido, I'm the guardian of these…three little firecrackers."

Luckily, Goro managed to keep the smile from manifesting on his lips as Jō referred to him as one of his charges. It'd been far too long since he'd had a parental figure such as him in his life. That just made him all the more determined to protect the man no matter what it took.

"Ah! Sounds like all the introductions are done and over with, that's good! It means we can finally get this show on the road!" Boomed a male voice that caused all the hair on Goro's neck to stand on end.

"There's an enemy up ahead!" Screamed Futaba. In seconds, Prometheus blazed to life around her, literally. Being their first time seeing a Persona summoned, it was quite a spectacle to the Hashiokas; to the rest of the Phantom Thieves, it was a sign to prepare for battle. "Scratch that! There's…there's…no…no way! I-It can't be!"

"Can't be what, Oracle?" Shouted Ryuji trading in his shotgun for his bludgeon. Something had told him the short-range weapon wasn't going to be much good for what came next.

"E-Enemies, b-but…they're…they're not shadows! According to these readings they're…they're humans, just like us!"

"What?!" Shouted Ann, Makoto, and Morgana in near perfect coordination.

"Humans…like us? But how can that be possible?" Pondered Yusuke readying his assault rifle. Unlike Ryuji's firearm, his would be a tad more useful, provided he could get a lock on their enemies.

Goro's feet had already begun moving as he spoke. "I'll go ask them."

"Crow!" Called his teammates.

"Dude, seriously, we came all this way to get you, not watch you kill yourself!" Yelled the muscle of the Phantom Thieves.

"I knew that wouldn't be enough to kill you, Prince Detective! You're like me, you're a survivor!" Came the male voice again. "Say, why not come over to my side so we can settle this man-to-man! Or rather hitman-to-hitman! It'll be fun!"

Goro chuckled. "Kicking your ass across Mementos with an audience, excellent idea!"

A volcanic eruption, that's how great the heat and winds were that whipped out in all directions as soon as the red-masked Wildcard had finished his statement. Behind him, the Hashiokas and Phantom Thieves gasped in shock feeling the wave of pure malice wash over them like a tidal wave. He heard Futaba's frantic calls and warnings, advising everyone to be on guard for what lay ahead of them was a being with power on par with that of a Palace Ruler. If Goro's suspicions were right, that was an understatement. In the distance they all saw it, the swirling mass of blood-red flames and tendrils that heralded the newest threat to their mission.

"Hopefully, your skills haven't gotten rusty, Akechi! Boys, let him have it!"

Fastest amongst the several attacks was the arc-shaped mass of red-energy. It had no doubt been fired from the sword Terashima's Persona wielded. Cruising alongside it were several more projectiles, bullets, fire blasts, bolts of lightning, rocks the size of car-doors, and rockets. Incredible as it was, Goro could see them all heading straight for him. All of them traveled at immense speed coming into view of him and his ragtag band of allies in seconds.

The calls for him to get out of the way were silenced by the howl of his own azure-colored flames. His hand remained on his mask, it too eventually joining the conflagration leaving his face exposed.

 _Robin Hood,_

 _ **I am here, and I am ready. My young master, you have grown well. It is time for that power you've nurtured to be let loose. Hold nothing back.**_

Towering over the teenage assassin stood the majestic form of the Archer of Sherwood. His white body and bellowing cape stood out in sharp contrast to the darkness around him, a beacon of light amongst the sea of black and red that was the underside of human consciousness. Sky-blue light collected around the Justice-aligned Persona's bow, and at the command of its master, the light exploded outward.

" **Myriad Arrows!"**

* * *

 **So, there you all have it. The Hashiokas and Phantom Thieves have officially met…and now they must work together to survive or Mementos will be their grave. Now I know what you're all thinking, how were they all drawn into the Metaverse. Another question you're just going to have to read on to find out. Part of the answer lies in Chapter 12, which also featured Shido and his cohorts testing out Metaverse weaponry and such. Over the next few chapters those plot points are going to be visited and explored.**

 **I won't lie to any of you, the "Soaring Silver Shooter" toy that was brought up is based off of the VS Charger from** _ **Lupinranger vs Patranger**_ **, the latest Super Sentai installment…which happens to have a phantom thief/police officer motif. Should the rumors about _Persona 5 R_ be true, it wouldn't surprise me if Akira/Ren, Makoto, and Goro got firearms based off of the VS Charger as a little mythology gag. As for this story, well remember, in-game Goro never got any ultimate weapons due to being a temporary party member. **

**In regards to the "bastard prince of Japan" comment…you gotta admit, it all lines up rather well. Personally, I always thought it was Goro's "inside joke"…and his way to keep his hatred fueled.**

 **The skill Myriad Arrows is real, it's an attack skill from older Persona games such as Persona 2 that falls into the Ranged (i.e. firearm) category. It hits all enemies on the opposing field with high damage and it struck me as a "personal skill" Robin Hood would possess as a Persona. It's one of the many new abilities Goro's attained since he's had some time to readjust himself, not to mention he's found his "merry band of men (and women)" just like in the legend.**

 **Until next chapter, when the war between the Phantom Thieves and Conspiracy reaches a new level!**


	19. Chapter 18-The Red Conflict

**After much buildup and character development, I'm glad to say this chapter dives right back into the action. Hope you all enjoy it, and save any questions for the reviews! Oh, and the next few chapters are going to contain graphic depictions of violence and henceforth. Fairy warning.**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 18-The Red Conflict**

The unexpected things always tended to be the most amazing things. For the Phantom Thieves of Heart, that lesson had held true in a very real sense for them. As they watched with their eyes, it also held true for their wayward Prince Detective.

Only Futaba could count the number of arrows released from Robin Hood's bow, a triple-digit number. Her mouth dropped in open shock as she watched the clash through her goggles, every arrow had been lined up perfectly with one of the oncoming projectiles. Explosions immediately followed, lots and lots of explosions. Together, they were quite deafening, especially for the none-Persona users. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched the older man throw his arms around his niece and nephew in a protective manner. In a heartbeat, Ryuji and Haru were in front of them, ready to fend off any harm that might have come their way. From what Futaba could see, what she could feel, that wasn't going to be an issue.

In one move, Goro had countered the wave of attacks that would have surely left the teenage thieves disoriented and open to further attacks by their mysterious enemies. That said, the never before seen display of power by the red-masked youth had thrown them all for a loop. Their gloved hands were being used to shield their uses for the explosions born from the collisions were too bright and thunderous even for them. The sensory abilities of her Persona feed all the information back to Futaba, the amount of force they were witnessing was more than enough to demolish a city block, maybe two or three to be honest.

If nothing else, it confirmed their pursuers weren't playing around, and neither was Goro.

Robin Hood's bow thundered three more times, each one releasing a single arrow almost the full length of a car. The shining bolts illuminated the darkness of the as they flew toward their target. Upon reaching them, they promptly exploded as well. Alarmed and fearful cries, cries of humans, went far and wide.

Akira's expression was dark as his ears registered the sound of grown men in pain. _It's official, Mementos is going to become a warzone._

 _ **Is? Akira, do please stop holding off the inevitable.**_ Rang Arsene's voice. _**The question now is this, will you do as the exiled prince and take a stand? Even if it means crossing that sacred line you'd vowed you'd never step over?**_

The black-haired teen felt his teeth gnash, especially once Futaba gave a cry of alarm. Something was coming, multiple somethings if he heard her right. There was no time for further debate, it was now a time for action. Akira, rather it was a blessing or a curse, was a man of action. His hand to his mask, now alight with blue flames, as he pushed forward to stand beside Goro. "Take them down, Seiryu!"

From the torrent of azure flames that the serpentine dragon of eastern mythology. Stretching back its head, it roared in proud might before snapping forward, its mouth stretched open. From its jaws came a wave of sub-zero air that chilled all that came within Akira's path.

Such things were…Personas, and people.

As unbelievable as it was, that's what they were. The thieves recognized a good number of them: Rakshasa, Sandman, Mothman, and Oni. Actually, as they came closer and closer, the teenagers realized there were quite a few Oni amongst their attackers. Several of them pushed past Seiryu's arctic blast to get on the black-haired teenager. Their persistence wasn't rewarded.

Kamu-Susano-o and Zorro moved as swift as the wind itself. Quite fitting since both supernatural entities held domain over the element. Their swords flashed in dual-colored streaks followed by the sound of flesh tearing and inhuman screams of pain.

"Heads up!"

Goro's voice was ringed with fright, something that caused Akira's heart to skip a beat. The flames that had been born of Goro's counterattack had been swiftly put out by his ice-based attack. A supernatural chill now hung in the air thanks to Akira, it added to the horror of the scene that unfolded next. Through the darkness, he watched the six missile-like objects dart through the air toward the two Personas. Naturally, the sword-users responded to the oncoming attack in the only way they knew how to-in counterattacking. Except the projectiles exploded well before Susano-o and Zorro's weapons could make physical contact.

Red-colored bolts of lightning jumped out of the containers and immediately jumped to the two Personas, quickly enveloping their bodies. Susano-o and Zorro froze, then let out with fierce cries of pain, cries that were echoed by their owners, who collapsed to their knees clenching at their bodies.

"Fox! Mona!" Shouted Makoto moving toward them with Ann in toe. Both males were clawing at the ground, their breaths coming out in quick bursts. Their Personas continued to wail in distress, gasping their heads and shoulders in perfect mirror of their human counterparts. The eyes of the Phantom Thieves widened as they realized somehow, their attackers carried weaponry capable of not only obstructing their Personas, but transferring the damage onto them.

"Guys! Guys! Heads up, we've got incoming! Lots of incoming!" Shouted Futaba, having retreated into the safety of Prometheus. "It's…it's a freakin' cavalry charge!"

Seconds later, and the assembled group showed they weren't kidding. From the other side of track they came, half a dozen men dressed in various clothing from suits to street clothes. For those showing skin, their tattoos stood out like sour thumbs. Several were sporting blazing-red auras similar to the group's own when they summoned their Personas. Bellowing mad war cries, they all came charging at the assembled teenagers and one adult, weapons of all sorts brandished.

Akira and Goro met eyes with one another. Though they'd been apart physically, in spirit, they'd always remained connected. Rather they wanted to admit it or not, a bond had formed between the two Wild Cards, said bond had only be strengthened going through the Casino Palace. Now, it was time to put that bond to the ultimate test. Robin Hood and Seiryu became assailed by auras of blazing-hot azure flames from their owners. Not a moment later and they were joined by a mohawk-haired monkey. The two boys looked to the right finding the Phantom Thieves' muscle standing defiant alongside them. He looked to the Wild Cards, they nodded back.

"Megidola!"

"Glacial Blast!"

"Maziodyne!"

The power of the almighty exploded forth in the form of an array of dark and white-colored energy beams from the golden bow of the archer. Blue light flashed in the jaws of the eastern dragon, and then exploded outward as a massive beam of sub-zero energy. Twice was the massive staff twirled around the monkey king, on the second revolution it was swung forward, hundreds of jagging beams of lightning shooting forth. All the of the attacks sped toward the advancing horde, many of whom momentarily stopped in their tracks seeing the triple onslaught heading toward them. A few dropped to their knees and made a run in the opposite direction, a smaller number attempted to throw up some sort of guard.

 _ **BOOM!**_

The earlier clash between Goro's Myriad Arrows and the energy projectile was outclassed in several ways by the triple combination attack hitting home. It felt like an earthquake had rocked Mementos, and that was saying something considering how the ground usually rattled by the ever-passing and always empty trains. The Phantom Thieves and Hashiokas covered their ears and averted their eyes as pieces of shrapnel went flying out in all directions and smoke surged forth in an omnidirectional wave.

From the blackness, came something else, something humanoid.

"Skull, watch yourself!" Shouted Akira seeing the shadow moving toward his best friend.

Ryuji's _kanabō_ manifested just in time to catch the gleaming katana blade aimed at splitting his head open. Gnashing his teeth, the blond-haired male stood strong as he tested his strength against a burly man of six-feet-three, his eyes obscured behind a pair of dark shades that had been cracked. Behind him, a red-skinned ogre rose to grapple with the great and wild monkey king. Blue and red exploded from the two combatants as they sought to overpower one another. It was a clash none of the Phantom Thieves ever thought they'd see, but one whose victory they were all willing to place their money on.

Jō had had enough of watching, and he'd seen his opportunity.

Silent and quick as a serpent, he broke from the main group, his eyes focused on the giant struggling to overpower Skull. With time, the younger boy might have prevailed, but time was of the essence.

The Persona-users only noticed the former hitman once he was within their personal space bubbles. Neither had time to react as he moved with the swiftness of the wind, a knife coming out and finding a temporary home in the gangster's left leg. What momentary pain he might have felt was tripled as the blade was dragged south, leaving a bloody gash in the gang member's left leg. His cry of pain was the window Jō needed to deliver swift and brutal kick to the back. The red ogre above him collapsed into an flicker of red flames and lights, and its owners life followed shortly after.

 _ **SNAP!**_

There was a difference between watching a neck snap on TV and watching it happen in real-life. As the lifeless body hit the lifeless body hit the ground before him, Ryuji could have sworn he could feel his stomach threatening to heave. One minute he was struggling to overpower the man, and the next, said man was lying on the ground before him, dead. All of it felt so…surreal.

He didn't have much more time to dwell on the murder he'd just seen take place, there was a battle raging on around him, and his "savior" had already moved onto his next target.

For a man he'd just witnessed the existence of the supernatural for the first time, Jō was taking everything quite well. Perhaps a bit too well.

Red and blue were mixing together while explosions rocked the supernatural subway. Rather or not Akira had felt disgust or horror at the murder, no one could tell as he was too busy fighting off the approaching gangsters and their Personas. Seiryu twisted and squirmed, his bombastic roar echoing through the tunnels. Ice flew from the dragon's maw, and in turn lightning, wind, and blasts of fire were launched at the blue-scaled Persona. Some of them were shrugged off while others hit their mark. The pain felt by the sacred beast was transfer to its summoner, who merely grunted in annoyance at the painful jolts that rocked his body. Realizing the mood had changed, Akira switched tactics. Seiryu vanished into a haze of blue flames, and emerging in the dragon's place was the red and black-bodied Randga.

A perfect stage had been set for the demonic entity by the hands of Haru, and her gun-totting Persona. Milady's skirt had opened and all of its sub-machine guns were roaring at full power. The barrage was doing a good enough job of keeping their enemies at bay, at least until a positively feral huff shook the ears of the Phantom Thieves.

"Incoming! Bull!" Futaba yelled.

"What?" Snapped Ann turning away from tending to Morgana and Yusuke with a skeptic look. "What do you mean incoming-"

The answer came little over a second later, stomping and roaring like a thunderstorm. Multiple heads turned to see a _massive_ , black-skinned bull charging through the hailstorm of gunfire that Haru had put up. The team's navigator gave the declaration, the creation possessed immunity to physical attacks; it was all Makoto needed to hear. Bursting from an inferno of blue and silver, the Mesopotamian goddess launched a sizzling, cackling, mass of pure nuclear energy directly at the bull. Heat and light exploded from the impact, and eventually a swift cry of pain followed. That pain was magnified as the mystical bull found itself on the receiving end of a scorching hot torrent of flames that sent it skidding across the ground.

"Nice shot, Panther." Offered Makoto watching the Persona flail about as flames ate away at its person, and its owner no doubt recoiled back in great pain.

"It wasn't me!" Cried the red-masked blonde. Immediately, Makoto felt a stone drop in her stomach, through the chaos, she and Ann looked to their white-masked leader. Akira was looking to his right, a look of cool amusement on his face. They followed his gaze and were stunned by what they saw.

It was as if Phoenix's flames were surging through Goro himself as he rode the firebird into the approaching gangsters. There was something eerily inspiring, yet dreadful, in watching him ride his newly revealed Persona, its wings leaving flames and ashes in its wake. With refined grace, he leaped off of Phoenix as a red-colored energy colored the beast's body. Assault Dive, a move they knew rather well, and whose power Goro could use just as well as Akira and Ryuji. The bird completely smashed through the ranks of the gangsters, the impact disrupting the concentration of some causing their Personas to dissipate. They never got the chance to re-summon them as the red-beaked teenager moved through the ranks with startling speed and precision, his laser blade leaving sizzling gashes across their arms, legs, and even torsos.

"Heh, so that's how his weapons work if they were ever used on real people." Mused Akira reloading his pistol after expanding all the ammo in his last clip.

His best friend looked to him like he'd just told them the sky was going to rain fire. "D-D-Dude, y-y-you sound like you've been thinking about that for a…while." Ryuji already knew the answer, or confirmation of his statement before Akira even said anything. As the leader, it was his job to always be thinking two or three steps ahead. Including if those steps pushed them all into a darkness they'd rather have avoided.

Drawing out a pair of knives, Akira ducked his head and ran in after his white-clothed counterpart. His mouth remained a straight line, even as he watched Jō and Goro do their best to thin the ranks of their attackers by any means necessary. _You're holding back, keeping from killing them._ Fighting humanoid enemies in previous Palaces had given Akira enough experience in dealing with actual humans. Such a confrontation was another dark possibility he'd thought of yet rarely spoken of. He wanted to curse at how said confrontation had not only come to pass, but would likely become common place in the future.

Rather surprisingly, nor not, Jō was keeping pace with the two teenagers. A gun flashed and a knife found its way into flesh one way or another. He was mindful of the supernatural entities surrounding him, battling it out for supremacy, and yet he showed little to no fear. When his eyes fell upon them, they merely hardened into circular glaciers. From what he'd seen and Goro had explained to him, Personas were linked to their summoners, eliminate the summoners and the Personas would go down as a result. With every enemy he took down, he found that to be true. For a minute, it seemed all would be alright.

But it as with all battles, the tide shifted.

"Contact! Underground! Holy crap, they're coming from-"

They definitely heard it. Quick as lightning, shattering the ground like a miniature eruption. It was bad timing as Yusuke and Morgana were just getting back on their feet, literally. For Yusuke, within seconds of regaining his ability to stand, something slammed into him. Through the dust and debris his eyes spotted the looming shadow. The hairs on his neck stood on end as he looked into the blood-red, murderous eyes of an ogre-like entity with a jaw filled with pointy, needle-like teeth. It took barely a second for the artist to realize what was coming next, his arms shot out keeping the beast from clamping down onto his flesh.

Ann raised her whip to attack the Persona baring down on her teammate, all while Haru and Makoto turned their firearms on the man who'd burst through the earth with his Persona. So focused on bringing him down they barely noticed the canister-like object in his hand. One amongst the inner group did notice it.

Less than ten minutes in and Natsu had seen why Goro had spoken of the Metaverse with a mixture of fear and awe. It truly was a dangerous place, but that was nothing new for Natsuo. Even these seven odd teenagers and their talking cat who'd braved this strange world were getting overwhelmed. Her green eyes read the man's body language of the man, and knew immediately something had to be done. She prayed Shuya would be able to survive for one minute without her. Natsuo bolted from her brother's side, her hand reaching back for her always trusty pocket knife.

She hit the gangster like a freight train, knocking him and the grenade-like object to the ground. He had on a light clavier vest, smart. Her blood pumping, she stabbed the knife into his left shoulder while her left knee struck him below the waist. From the corner of her eye, she saw his right arm coming in to grab her, and she caught his grasp with her own hand. Shock lit up the man's eyes, no doubt at the fact this teenage girl without any powers of her own had managed to subdue him. All he saw reflected in her own eyes was a cold determination. That was the last thing the man saw as Natsuo withdrew her pocket knife, and drove it into the man's exposed neck.

Natsuo pulled away, blood smeared over her pocket knife and a few smudges over the top of her hand. Firstly, she looked to Shuya, who stood where she'd left him, stunned but nodding his head showing he was okay. It was when she looked to the other members of the Phantom Thieves did she see shock, and even horror.

"You…you…you just…" Gaped the one in the iron mask.

 _Shit, so much for making a good first impression._ Instinct had taken hold of her, and now she was going to pay for it. She had little time to further contemplate how to explain herself as she spotted a growing mass of light behind the biker-girl. "Down! Get down!" There was just enough time for her to process Natsuo's words. Everyone else in the group followed suit.

It was an axe, one twice as large as the one Haru had been wielding. It disappeared into the darkness, and then landed with a loud boom. The sound was quickly drowned out by Ryuji's effort-filled grunts, then his infuriated shout and eventually cry of pain. They all looked to find the skull-masked thief in the grip of a giant with the head of a bull. The sight caused Ann's eyes to go cross.

"Incinerate him, Hecate!" Summoned from an array of blue flames, the Greek goddess wasted in time in sending her hell-hound-headed chains at the Minotaur. First went there was the wrist, and then the second wrapped around the neck. Pooling her fury into her Persona, Ann commanded Hecate to turn the bull-man into a projectile, the multi-eyed goddess was all too happy to oblige. With a flick of her wrists, she lifted the Minotaur into the air, causing it to drop Ryuji in the process. Flames raced through the chains and scorched the man-beast hybrid. Several feet away, a bald-headed man collapsed in agony feeling the pain transferred onto him. That pain was magnified three-fold as Hecate threw the Minotaur Persona to the ground, then literally threw it away into an oncoming train.

"Nice one." Natsuo commented as the Phantom Thieves strongman got to his feet, his gloved hands rubbing his sore neck. "Looks like I wasn't too far off with the Catwoman thing."

"Actually, if you must, Lady An-I-I mean Panther is more…well, she's a Panther." Proclaimed Morgana, having seemingly recovered from the sudden attack along with Yusuke, who was currently shaking his head. He was taking the flame-haired girl's…actions far better than the others were, or perhaps that's because he knew they had bigger matters to focus on. "Joker, Crow! We need to pull back! Any more fighting and we might end up attracting the wrong kind of attention!"

The black-haired teen laughed as he fended off a sword-user, kicking him in the gut first, then delivering a roundhouse kick to the jaw. "Attract attention, with what? A little ruckus like this?"

There was little questioning in how Jō came by a sub-machine gun, or where all the bullets had gone. The answer to the second unasked question lay in bloody, groaning hips before them. "We've got a big group, moving everyone is going to be a bit of a problem, especially if these guys keep coming."

Akira looked past the blood smears the old assassin had gained on his person. "Trust us, we've got a way, though it may get a bit-GAH!"

Of the many sounds filling the tunnel, Akira's pain-ridden voice stood out almost like a bell ringing high above the chaos. For the Phantom Thieves, including Goro, the sound of the normally cool-headed teen in pain was like a bomb going off.

Goro saw it happen in slow motion, as if it were for his eyes only. One minute, Akira was standing, and the next he was groaning with his back to the ground, a thin line of smoke rising from his chest. His eyes darted to Jō, his body moved on sheer impulse. He was barely half as old as his "kohai", and with barely half the body weight or so. Regardless, in the Metaverse, he was stronger than he looked; that strength gave him the ability to tackle Jō to the ground, and keep him there. Granted, part of that was due to the veteran hitman not struggling as he knew what was happening.

 _ **BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!**_

Thankfully, after the first shot, Futaba got the hint. Her fingers slammed into the digital keyboard summoning forth the red and green colored barrier that protect her portion of the group. Those inside jumped as the bullets sent visible shockwaves across the translucent barrier. Rather than focus on them, Futaba set up another barrier around Akira, Jō, and Goro. Their safety hadn't waned from her mind in the maelstrom of conflict and confusion they'd wondered into. It was strange, yet familiar. On one hand, she'd grown used to the mayhem that came with adventuring into Mementos, what they were experiencing now was human conflict. None of them save for maybe Akira had been prepared for that.

And as with all things human, unpredictability reared its head.

The orange-haired hacker had a second to spot the warnings on her sensors. Then her whole world rocked. It hurt like nothing she'd ever felt, as if a super-sharp needle had been ran through her body, which only registered the pain after it'd exited her body. Her barrier collapsed, her teammates immediately going into a panic; it wasn't because their defense was gone, it was because Futaba herself had cried out in pain. Her cries grew louder as Prometheus took a second shot. This one was ice-themed, it had to be for how else could she explain the feeling of her entire body reaching sub-zero temperatures, her blood turning into ice and clogging up her veins.

"Futaba! Futaba!" There was Akira's voice, filled to the brim with alarm as befitting any older-brother figure. Shrugging off his previous injury, he bolted for the downed hacker, who was already being looked over by their teammates.

Six shots, six fireballs as large as their bodies, all coming from on singular direction, and with the speed of a missile fired from a fighter plane.

The run-away hitman knew in his heart he could match that. "Robin Hood!"

Six fire fireballs, six arrows, together they equaled a massive explosion born from the individual blasts mixing together. Goro didn't let that stop him, he felt the next attack coming in his bones.

 _ **That is instinct.**_ Robin was right beside him, pushing him to get in front of the attack.

 _ **Now, to something hard and sturdy! You're going to need it!**_ Barked Loki, once more at his back while the archer remained at his side.

The heat from the explosion washed over him, and he let it serve as a type of toxic invigoration. Through his mask, his eyes saw it coming, the massive blood-red slash large as a truck. Most of it came back to him-the tension, the rage, and the fear. His apartment had been such a tight place to summon a Persona into the physical world, but in Mementos, there were no such constrictions. It also meant that he didn't have to worry about causing too much collateral damage.

 _At least until the Reaper shows up._ That was the real fear, the thing that Akira had been worrying about. If the Reaper showed up, attracted by all of the fighting it'd only make the situation worse.

A pair of stony, monochrome-colored hands shot out from the swirling mass of blue flames that had surrounded Goro. Moments later and the anger-filled face, or faces, of Gozu-Tennoh emerged, his eyes blazing red as he caught the red projectile in his hands, and then crushed it. Almost as soon as the attack was crushed, the Japanese-Buddhist deity put its hands together with barely an inch separating them. In between the palms, a cackling mass of light and heat manifested.

"Mona, change into your automobile for, get Joker and Oracle inside then gun it!" Commanded the brown-haired teen keeping his face on his partially obscured face.

"Really stepped up to the plate, haven't you! And I see you got some new toys to play with, Akechi, you've got no idea how happy that makes a guy feel!"

The voice that had awoken him, the voice that had turned his world upside down, and the voice that he'd both been dreading and waiting to hear. It was as clear as a bell through the blood-caked tunnels of Mementos.

Goro's hand withdrew from his face, which had darkened into scowl. "Are you done hiding behind your flunkies, or are you going to come out and face me like a man?" It was stupid, and his teammates let him know with their hushed warnings and requests for an explanation. That was going to have to wait until they could get some breathing room, which Goro was sure was going to take a while. And then there was the little issue of rather or not he'd be in any shape to talk.

From the darkness and into the eerie lights he came, his hands clapping as if he'd just witnessed some decent dinner show. It infuriated Goro, but not as much as the maniacal smile on his face, almost the same he wore when he found him in his apartment. Terashima had traded in his suit for what looked to be a biker jacket with black leather pants. What stood out was the item held in his right hand, slung over his shoulder. It was a sword, a physical blade that just vaguely resembled a Japanese word. As he walked closer Goro was able to get a better look at the weapon-it resembled a zanbatō, a high-tech zanbatō as evident by the silvery shine on the sword, and the red glow of the lines running up the blade. Just looking at it made Goro's hair stand on end; he knew that Terashima's sword wasn't a normal weapon.

They were polar opposites from their respective outfits, weapons, and the expressions on their faces. Terashima looked like he couldn't be any happier while Goro was just barely keeping his rage and disgust repressed.

"Fight you like a man? Come on, we're assassins, besides, you've still got a few years to go before you start growing some facial hair." Laughed the yakuza hit-man. Little over ten feet separated him from Goro and the rest of the Phantom Thieves. Odds were, Terashima could close that distance in one way or another. Not to mention there were his…friends.

Natsuo clenched at her brother, who understandable hung onto her arms. "Shit, it really is him, and he really is after you." Shooting the red-caped Phantom Thief a nervous grin, she laughed. It was the sort of laugh one gave upon finding out they were going to be sentenced to ten years or more in federal prison. "And his sword's way bigger than yours."

"Size isn't everything." Goro growled back.

"Um, excuse me, could someone explain to me what the f is going on?" He'd watched the exchange, watched the expressions and it a had left Ryuji wanting to know more. As Mona and Ann looked to their downed teammates, he joined Goro. Any scruples he might have had with the Prince Detective were gone as they now stood side by side. "Who the hell is this guy? Crow, how the hell do you know him?!"

"Sanyu Terashima, a man I put away little over a year ago." He answered with barely contained vile.

"He's one of the most skilled hitmen to ever come under the employee of any yakuza syndicate." Added Jō, who'd joined the two boys. He was quite a contrast to the two Persona-users, but one look was all that was needed to deduce his ability to keep up with them. Jō's eyes were just as hard as Goro's. "This isn't going to be easy."

"Skull, Jō, stay with the others while I hold him off."

"Like hell!" The pseudo-blond met the rogue's hard glare with one of his own. "Look, Crow, we came all this way to get you, and we're not leaving without you! And _like hell_ we're leaving you to fight a nutcase like that all by yourself!"

"Nutcase? Hey, I'm not the one running around in bad cosplay, blondie."

"Hey! At least these guys are doing it with style!" Shouted Natsuo.

The red-eyed man chuckled watching the bastard child snap to his orange-haired friend, his voice furiously demanding for her to keep quiet. He wasn't deaf to the nervous chatter of the rest of the group. The Phantom Thieves had gotten their act together and were taking up positions that spoke of an attack, a distraction, and then an attempt to hightail it out of the area. When Goro's attention fell back on him, Terashima grinned. "You know, I've got orders to kill all of you, but Akechi, you're the one I _really_ want! I'll make you a deal, fight me fair and square and I'll let all your little friends go, how's that sound?"

Protest broke out immediately, on both sides. Emerging from the darkness came several or so gangsters. Based on their clothing and expressions, they must have been the ones in charge. That, and they were the only ones who had the guts to protest Terashima's offer to his face; with his reputation, only a fool would have attempted to do such a thing, which accounted for a good bulk of the men after them. On the Phantom Thieves' side, everyone from Ann to Ryuji were calling foul on the deal, having already decided to make a run for it. They were now trying to talk Goro into following the plan.

He knew damn well if he agreed to Terashima's offer he was signing his own death warrant. Too many other parties were involved for a one-on-one. This wasn't a TV show or shonen manga where the hero and villain duke it out in an honorable fight to the finish.

 _This…is going to be cutting it close, but I've got to try._ Reasoned the brown-haired teen. He inhaled through his nose, "Terashima, you know how I'd like nothing better than to either throw you into a cell or cut you down. Option two sounds real nice since this is the Metaverse and odds are, no one will ever find your body, not to mention you won't be missed."

As expected, his Phantom Thief teammates bulked at him, the Hashiokas, less so. It was quite telling.

One hand in his pocket, Terashima cocked his head to the side. The smile remained on his face, "True, true, this little hellhole is really quite a place. It makes murder so much more fun in so many ways! We could fight to our heart's content and no one can say shit about it…" Red eyes met red eyes, a smile met a frown. "That said, I really want to fight the _real you_. That archer's all nice and good…but what I want is to fight the real Goro Akechi, I want _Black Mask_. Can you please bring him out so we can play?"

He kept his himself contained, somehow. Goro raised his laser blade, "If you want Black Mask…then come and get him."

Terashima the Terror grinned, and then attempted to prove how he'd earned his nickname. In the blink of an eye he was sprinting toward them, his massive sword skidding across the ground leaving sparks in its wake.

"Dude, I don't know who the hell you are, but you've pissed me off! Seiten Taisei!" At Ryuji's command, the rebellious simian shot forward, his gold-crested staff raised and ready to turn the fast-approaching hitman into a smear on Mementos' bloody floors.

Except that didn't happen, what did happen was yet another first for the group. Terashima's sword, more of a meat-cleaver than anything, succeeded in _**halting**_ the Chariot Persona's attack, completely stunning Ryuji.

"What the f?!" Shouted the former track runner.

In spite of the mammoth pressure on him, Terashima found it in him to laugh. "Seriously? Come on, kid, just say it! No who gives a damn is around! Not to mention you don't want to go to the afterlife regretting it!" The inscriptions on the sword lit up like neon lights. Similar to the lines on Futaba's outfit, they ran up the length of the blade, especially the edge giving the dark gray weapon a truly chilling vintage. Seiten Taisei had a brief moment to ponder what was happening before he roared in pain just as Susano-o and Zorro before him.

 _ **SHWAK!**_

The sound chilled blood and caused hearts to skip a beat or two. Ryuji grasped his shoulder as he felt the sharp jolt of pain race through him.

Terashima hurried past the stunned Ultimate Persona and continued toward the stunned blond, his grin wide revealing pearly white teeth.

Metal met energy, sparks turned into twisting bolt of electricity. The former prisoner's grin only seemed to widen as he looked into the blood-red eyes of Goro Akechi, who returned his smile with a concentrated sneer.

"I'm happy to see these few days on the week didn't make you go soft." Whispered the black-haired adult. "In fact, it looks like they did the oppo-" While he loved running his mouth, Terashima knew when to shut it and focus. He broke off from Goro and raised his blade just in time to block the shots from Jō's pistol. Even with the size of his weapon, it was quite a feat. _This guy's no amateur, he's experienced._ His hand shot to the holster on his left side. A heart beat later and Terashima was holding a great sword in one hand while in the other he took aim with a heavily modified revolver. One shot sounded like a crack of thunder.

Jō retreated while Goro advanced, his sword blazing emerald light as it met Terashima's solid blade. The two continued clashing blades, one enjoying the collisions while the other maintained a straight scowl. It briefly brightened as a bluish-white flash zoomed past him. Blade-locked with Goro and his gun trained on the running Jō, it looked as if Terashima was easy pickings for Yusuke. With the latter's iaido skills, one could have assumed that the Terror's reign was about to come to an end. They were wrong.

Goro felt the hairs on his neck stand on in, followed by an unexplainable heat wave. His eyes widened as he turned to Yusuke, his mouth taking in air to warn him.

"Cut him down and burn the rest, Flamma!" Sang the voice of the hitman.

It was like a furnace springing open releasing the raging out flames into the outside. Even Terashima's own men who'd been embroiled in a shootout with Haru and Makoto paused and fell back in fright. Yusuke, being so close, caught the brought of the blast; throwing his arms up and bracing himself as he was thrown back by the whirlwind of red-colored flames that sprung from Terashima's body. Amidst the flames, the figure emerged, the being that had plagued Goro's dreams and filled him with rage that rivaled that of the war gods of old.

Bare-chested as he remembered, and with the same over-sized double-edged sword that had ended his apartment, the Persona rose in a proud display of power. The sword rose and fell like a massive guillotine, luckily, Yusuke rolled out of the way just in time. That didn't stop the cold shiver that ran up the blue-haired teen's body as he realized how close he'd been to being split in two. He didn't waste time in mulling over his near escape of death as the reaper was coming in for a second try.

What met the bare-chested warrior's blade was the sword of another, the Shinto god of storms. The two Personas briefly broke apart, then reengaged with one another in a clash of strength that sent gale-like shockwaves through Mementos. Firmly pressed against each other, it was clear that the two Personas were as different as night and day. Both were bare-chested and tattooed, but that's where the similarities ended. Kamu Susano-o's body was dark blue with black markings that gave off the impression of a storm system or something of the like, not to mention his glorious whitish-gray mane. The opposing Persona had a body the color of sun-kissed bronze marked with orange flames that spread out over the chest, biceps, and abdomen in the likeness of dancing flames. Covering the right arm was a sleeve of bronze-golden chainmail while the left arm was bare. Like the Emperor-aligned Persona, the gladiator was masked, except not one strand of hair could be seen through the mosaic helmet that covered his face. Only a pair of blood-red eyes peered out through the eyeholes, pure malice radiating from them.

For a hot minute, the two seemed evenly matched, but gradually, the gladiator began to overpower the god, just as said gladiator's human half was gradually wearing down the human teenager before him. His attacks were fierce and fast in stark contrast to the oversized blade he wielded. Yusuke kept the shock to a minimum as he focused all his attention on keeping himself alive. Slowly, but gradually, his arms were beginning to hurt from the back-to-back collisions of his katana and his enemy's.

"I came here hoping I'd be able to cut down a crow, but I guess a fox will make a nice little appetizer." Leered the older man leading in close as more pressure was put on the artistic teenager. "Maybe after you I'll help myself to some monkey or cat, or even whatever the hell that girl that Hikawa shot down."

Rage flashed in Yusuke's eyes, it filled Terashima's heart with glee as it was all directed toward him. Just as quickly as the anger came, it slackened. Terashima noticed and readied himself to fall back, but it was too late.

The Roman Gladiator roared in displeasure as several highly pressurized shots of water slammed into his backside; it was just the opening Kamu Susano-o had been waiting. Using the brief time window, he fended off Flamma, and within the same breath slashed down the Roman's muscular chest. The slash was like an ignition, one of the opposite kind. The droplets of water that remained on Flamma's body flash froze into whitish-blue patches that stalled his body's movements. Several more slashes followed, each one leaving a blue line on the opponent from which ice sprouted forth.

Terashima himself was coming under watery and icy assault. He too has been dosed by water, and Yusuke had seized on opportunity. As he jumped backward, he felt frost spreading across his body, and then he felt pain begin to touch every portion of his body. Snarling in annoyance, he looked up to the ceiling and found rainclouds, pitch-black clouds with tinges of red pelting the surrounding area with dark-green water. His comrades were experiencing similar discomfort, some more so than others. He searched the battlefield for the source of the strange weather; he found it.

Three heads, or rather three faces. One attached to a neck and a body while the other two floated at the side, their bone-white nightmarish faces glowing with blue light. The central head, the one that carried a slight bird-like nose, stared straight ahead, the dress-covered body assailed by blue flames curtsy of Goro.

"Erinyes, wash them all way!" Commanded the teenager sweeping his hand forth.

Stretching out her bare arms, the deity of vengeance summoned forth several spiraling twisters of brightly-colored water. They stood out in sharp contrast to the darkness that surrounded them all. The red rims in the eyes grew, and with it the twisters surged forth. Each one was well over six feet tall with more than enough power to knock to the side the enemy Personas, and that was saying nothing of the humans.

"Hey, hey, let me in on this action! Seiten Taisei, let 'em have it!" Ryuji wanted another shot after Terashima had caught him off guard, and thanks to Goro, he took it. The sage monkey's golden staff made three complete twirls before being slammed into the ground. From the other end came numerous arching lightning bolts that all zoomed outward in one general direction, toward the enemy. Several of the lightning bolts collided with the water twisters just as Ryuji had planned, electrifying them thus increasing their power.

Jō whistled, "Not a bad plan, not bad a tall, Skull."

In spite of seeing him kill several people without batting an eye, Ryuji grinned at the man. "Hey, I'm not called this team's strong man for nothing!"

"Yes, that's great, but we have to go, now! Mona, hurry up and transform!" He was mentally controlling the water sprouts, feeding them with his own power. It was tiring work, especially since he'd already used up quite a bit in battle barely ten minutes prior. _Ten minutes? It feels like it's been hours!_ That was when Goro realized not five minutes after their unnatural entry into the Metaverse had they been thrown into battle, forced to defend themselves from waves of enemies who clearly knew a thing or two about how things worked. _This is only going to make things harder, but for now, we have to fall back!_

Yusuke stayed with him, his automatic rifle roaring as he covered Goro while the others loaded up into Morgana's car-form. Just barely was the brown-haired runaway aware of the Hashiokas cries of shock in seeing the cat transform yet again. He told Yusuke to fall back with the others while he held the line, when they looked to each other; the swordsman knew Goro wasn't going to budge and hesitantly did so. Yusuke asked him to be right behind him as he fled.

 _One last thing one last roadblock to give us some breathing room!_ "Erinyes, Marvelous Dance!" Exclaimed the cape-wearing youth with a snap of his fingers. Sweat was beginning to pool around his forehead, yet he pressed on knowing it had to be done. His Persona knew so as well and dutifully followed his command. The goddess in the wine-colored dress snapped her fingers and shook her hips in a sensual yet mystical dance that ended with her throwing her arms out. From her came a purple and red-colored wave that spread through the darkness, touching all on the other side of the tunnel-turned battlefield.

With the first of several cries, Goro turned on his heels and ran. What had once been an advancing squadron of armed and probably piss gangsters were now nothing but a collection of frightened men clinching at their heads, the ground, each other, or perhaps even wetting themselves. Should the Reaper come across them they'd be easy pickings, or easier if their skill level was what he thought it was. It didn't matter so long as they all had some time to get away and figure out what was happening. Ignoring the burning in his legs and growing tightness in his chest Goro pressed forward. Directly ahead of him was the exposed backdoors of Morgana's car form, the Phantom Thieves all beckoning him inside. Suddenly, their faces turned grave.

"Who said you could walk out so easily, Prince Detective! We're not finished yet! Hell Fang!"

The sound of a gun and the sound of a blade slicing through air. Either one would could have been the bell that signaled the end of his life, but Goro had decided he wasn't going to perish without a fight.

Summoning the strength, he put his hand to his face and called to his subconscious for one of his Personas. He would probably still take a hit or so and be left in agonizing pain, but hopefully he'd be alive.

 _ **Thump!**_

There was something truly surreal about being inches from an object traveling at breakneck speeds. He'd learned that lesson from Makoto riding Johanna, but Akira's Arsene was certainly nothing to sneeze at. All the rogue assassin saw was a red and black blur as it passed him.

 _ **Since you've done so well, allow us to have you covered, you've more than earned it, little red beak.**_

Against his better knowledge, he stumbled. It could have been forgiven since what occurred behind him was an explosion equivalent to a block-leveling bomb going off. His cheeks would have hit the ground had a pair of hands not caught him. His heart-racing, he looked up, finding the stern gray of Akira's eyes looking back to him.

Arsene fended off the combination attacks extinguishing the dark energy in his left leg, but the darkness coating the right leg was still blazing strong. One swift kick later and it was launched sending a massive red-tinted black crescent toward Terashima. As the two teenagers ran after the speeding van, Arsene spread out his arms and wings.

 _ **Pathetic worms, know your place in this world! Become food for the maggots that crawl and corrupt this realm! Wonder in the darkness that you have cast so many into!**_

The bottom of both palms came together expelling a thick torrent of dark energy, just as the wings expelled countless beams of similar energy. Faintly, screaming faces could be made out in each attack before slamming home either into a body or the ground from which an ebony and crimson explosion was born. Most, if not all of the tunnel shook from the combined explosions, the screams of the victims becoming lost in the cataclysmic destruction.

One amongst the group wasn't in a panic or cooking with violent anger at the defeat. Holstering his gun and sheathing his sword, Terashima looked through the smoke in the direction the black and yellow-colored van had road off. A sly smile manifested on his face. There was no way they'd be able to catch their prey on foot, but that didn't mean that the hunt was over. On the contrary, it was only just beginning.

* * *

 _ **Path of Akzeriyyuth, Mementos...**_

"Alright, now can someone _finally_ explain what in the hell is going on?" Groaned Ryuji as Morgana transformed back into his humanoid form in a poof of smoke. Like the rest of the team, the talking feline needed a minute or two to catch his breath, physically and mentally speaking. "I mean…those guys…they had…they had Personas! Personas! Just like us!"

"Not quite, theirs were weaker by quite a margin, but still nothing for us to take lightly." Countered Yusuke placing his sword to his side. He could still feel it, the foul breath of the creature that had jumped him and attempted to bite his face off. While it wasn't the closest he'd come to death, the way it had transpired had certainly left an impact on him. "You all handled yourselves quite well."

It figured Yusuke would be the first one to say something regarding the way the Hashiokas had handled themselves. Actually, it needed to be addressed, and what better time than now? While Mementos didn't have safe rooms there were "dead spots" where Shadow activity was light so the Phantom Thieves could take a moment or so to take a break. Such a thing was needed so the group could come to grips with what had just happened.

Positioned against a blood-caked wall off one of the main tracks the Phantom Thieves and Hashiokas had laid down temporary roots. Medical items and nourishment had been handed out and or ingested so they could begin recovery. The Hashiokas sat against the wall while the Phantom Thieves sat almost directly in front of them. Though it was well-meaning, it did look a bit like the teenagers were forcing the unlikely family against the wall. Goro sat at the "half-way point" between the two groups. His eyes continuously shifted to the three, worry evident in his eyes. Of course, such a thing didn't go unnoticed by the Phantom Thieves.

The flame-haired Hashiokas was remarkably casual with them, even though Ann and Makoto kept giving her nervous glances. "Eh, it's not the first time we've been in some hairy situations, magic monsters and some dicks with machine guns? The first one's new, but the second one, part of the family lineage!"

"Family…lineage?" Inquired Haru looking between the three, the gears in her head turning.

Shuya's arms were wrapped around his knees, yet he did not give off an aura of fear. He seemed to be merely…waiting. "Our dad was in the yakuza, so's our uncle. We're used to violence. Um, Oracle, are you doing okay?"

No one was quite sure what to call it, but _something_ had been sparked between the brown-haired teen and orange-haired hacker. When Futaba was incapacitated, Shuya was the first one on her, his eyes wide with worry. As they rode through the dark hallways he'd stayed close to her, slightly observing her to make sure she was alright.

Frankly, Futaba found it sweet, especially since she could tell Shuya might have been like her. "I'll admit, I was caught off-guard, but no worries. Thanks for the concern though." Her smile quickly fell as she looked to her big brother figure. "That Terashima guy…he was no joke. Sure, all those other guys might have been annoying, but that guy…he was like a shark while all the others were guppies."

"He stopped my Persona, how in the hell did he do that?" Ryuji spoke up crossing his arms. He wasn't the only one pissed, Seiten Taisei had been equally peeved at his beloved golden staff being halted by a mere human, granted that human turned out to be another Persona user. "Hey, Akechi, you know him, don't you? Who the hell is he? And why was he so determined to fight you?"

It was inevitable. His head reached up and pilled away his red beak mask revealing his face. Goro's face looked…worn, tired, resigned almost. Such a look was out of place as he was only seventeen-years-old, yet Goro was looking like a soldier returning home from war with the knowledge he was eventually going to be called back to duty.

Just as he looked upward to the group to speak, someone else beat him to it. "That man is Sanyu Terashima, also known as 'Terashima the Terror'; yes, it's a bit of a ridiculous nickname, but one that fits." No one said anything about Jō being the one to do the explain. Not why he was doing or how he knew who their pursuer was. The Phantom Thieves merely listened to the graying-haired man in silence. "If you ever doubt that God has a dark side, then Terashima's existence should be enough evidence for you. The man was a natural born killer, one who took his skill set to the market and rose through the ranks. He's worked for various families and factions, gone from continent to continent leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. He's not insane, he just loves what he does."

"Which is killing people." Akira stated with narrowed eyes.

Casually, he leaned his head back against the wall. As Goro expected, he looked rather calm explaining the story of a man who killed because he enjoyed it and was craftier than a fox. Who also happened to now be hunting all of them.

"Terashima's…off in a sense, but that doesn't take away the fact that he can and will kill you if you land on his radar. Normally, this would get him a place in the nuthouse, but for the criminal underworld, it's the sort of thing that makes you sought after. Some people become hitmen because they want the money and perks that comes with the contracts and lifestyles, some have a specific person they want to off and are merely using others for practice, and a handful do it simply because it's what they are. Terashima is one such person, he'll laugh with you, buy you a drink, and if need-be help you get home; when the next day comes and he receives a contract for your head, he'll shoot you in the face with no fuss. Granted, he might say a prayer or two for your soul before doing the deed."

Morgana felt his fur grow cold. "Sounds like quite a guy." His big blue eyes shifted to Goro. "Akechi, how does this guy know you? What's the story?"

Goro recognized that tone of voice, Morgana was trying to be careful with his words for his sake. _You know, I'm getting tired of that._ Straightening up, he rolled his shoulders as to get into the mood. "As Jō so accurately explained, Terashima was a hitman with a rap-sheet over a mile long. The Tokyo police were willing to do anything to get their hands on him, and if they could, try him for the numerous murders he'd committed. Thanks to some well-placed connections and his own wits, they could never bag him."

"But you did," Haru deduced. It was a bit unsettling how interested she seemed in the story. "Ake…Goro, did you use your powers to catch him for the police?"

Somehow, he overcame the shock of Haru using his first name, unlike several others who stared at the brunette as if she'd just spoken Chinese. "Yes…yes I did. It was toward…almost a year after I started working for Shido. I wanted to do a case for myself and looked through the police's files for anything I could do, guess who I found. Thanks to my powers I'd grown a bit arrogant in what I could do so I decided to tackle 'The Terror', through luck I managed to track him down to a teahouse. I got there after he'd finished his…assignment." The distant echo of the trains marked the short silence that followed. "That was the first time I'd ever seen so many bodies and so much blood. By my count…twelve, fourteen, yeah, fourteen. All of them dead from a combination of gunshots and stab wounds. I looked over some of them, he'd taken his time in killing some of them, probably for his own sadism. That was when I…I…"

"You decided you were going to stop him, especially since you had an edge over him." Natsuo finished looking to him with stern yet encouraging eyes. "Using this place, you chased down some leads and got him, right?"

"I used Loki and Robin Hood, it was one of the few times all three of us actually agreed on something." He continued almost wistfully. "Those were a dangerous three weeks, running down leads on Terashima while working for Shido, there were times I outright fell asleep at school and the teachers became a tad worried since I had shadows under my eyes. Id didn't stop though, in a way, the more I looked into Terashima the more…the more…something inside me just told me I had to stop him. It was stupid since I was on my way to becoming just like him…but as I looked over his crime scenes, his trail of human wreckage I just…"

"I'm pretty sure that meant you had a conscious. While you were doing some terrible things, it's not like you were doing them for kicks. That was, and probably still is the difference between you two. Goro, you do things for a purpose, Terashima does things for kicks." Shuya's words were as direct and piercing as they always were. The only reason he didn't shrink under all the attention now aimed at him was because he was too busy staring at Goro. "How'd you do it? How'd you catch him?"

There was a short sigh. "I set him up, got to his soon-to-be employers and had them arrange a trap for Terashima. Amazing what you can get people to do by torturing their subconscious with the threat of either death or insanity." He laughed at the memory, not quite caring how he looked or sounded. "By going to his employers, past and present, I was able to get the information needed to nail him. All of it…I'd worked myself to the bone, but when I saw the handcuffs slapped on him and heard the judge gave him a life-sentence…I felt…I felt happy, proud even." Everyone was looking at him with a mixture of sympathy and worry so Goro deduced the real him was showing. The pathetic and hypocritical him that he worked so hard to hide. "A kid who spent his free time killing people feeling happy he got another guy who killed people for a living thrown in prison for the rest of his life. Does that sound like justice? Sounds more like some twisted idea of a joke, doesn't it?"

At first, no one spoke up, probably because they didn't know what to say. While it wasn't the condemnation he'd been expecting, it wasn't quite the reaction he thought he'd get.

"But…you knew Terashima had to be stopped, even if what you were doing was wrong, you recognized he was doing was just as wrong, maybe worse." To her credit, Makoto put on a brave face as he looked to her. Again, it wasn't condemnation, but something resembling reassurance. Makoto was doing her best to mimic her sister trying to give her strength, trying to be the substitute parent that was needed. As a little girl, she'd had some awareness how difficult a thing that was, but in time she realized why she needed to be that way. Sometimes, it was what one needed to be reminded their existence was valued and wanted. "Akechi, we can spend all day going on about your sins…but you knew deep down what Terashima was, you had the power to stop him, and you did just that. I don't know if anyone else would call that justice…but I think I would, and it proves something that I…that we all suspected."

"What's that?" Asked the brown-haired teenager feeling an odd sensation in his gut. At some point he'd become enveloped by an invisible blanket. It was immensely warm and soothing. Looking around, he was surprised to find a hand clasping his. Glancing up, he found a smiling Natsuo. His heart skipped a beat before he turned to look at the rest of the Phantom Thieves who were looking at him with either smiles or grins. Even Ryuji, though he was doing his best to look away.

Haru moved to speak. "It proves that you-"

The wall cracked alerting them all, and then a second later the cracks multiplied by the dozens. Blood-soaked rock and metal exploded outward like a flower blooming into chaos.

* * *

 **I like to think the title of this chapter summed up everything that transpired. I went back and forth on what to name it but settled on Red Conflict since this chapter was very action-packed and had a bit of conflict backstory. It was a bit difficult writing a big battle between the Phantom Thieves and another faction since the Casino Palace, but it felt kind of good. This chapter showed off a few more of Goro's recently acquired Personas such as Phoenix and Gozu-Tennoh. Yes, his second Persona, Erinyes did use a Water-type Skill, an element that hasn't been present in the Persona franchise since Persona 2. Goro's new personas are coming to pull from the Persona 2 and Revelations gallery, with skills from the long-lost Water, Earth, and MAYBE the Gry (gravity) line of spells. The Persona/SMT universe had a big list of magically attacks and creatures to choose from so I plan on having some fun with what and who the Phantom Thieves encounter.**

 **This chapter shed a bit more light on Terashima and his relationship to Goro. Like the latter and Jō he too is a hitman, but one who enjoys his job because he just likes it that much. Basically, Adachi if he just got his kicks off of murder and combat more than causing mayhem out of boredom and nihilism, in fact, you could say Terashima's an anti-nihilist at his core. As promised, he's the second of the three what-ifs/reflections of Goro. He's what Goro could be if he ever goes full-scale "chaotic evil"**.

 **His Persona is Flamma, a Syrian gladiator of similar fame to Spartacus, albeit one with a particular twist. He won his right to freedom four times yet he chose to continue his life as a gladiator, fighting 34 matches, winning 21, tying 9, and finally losing only 4 times. Basically, you could say he was a man who realized his place was on the battlefield and decided that's where he'd live and die. That right there should tell you a bit about Terashima's character and how he'll serve as a foil to Goro.**

 **Until next chapter as the story continues and more questions are answered, and a couple new ones are asked!**


	20. Chapter 19-The Red Truth

**I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 19-The Red Truth**

In some ways, Goro was actually a bit thankful for the sudden explosion that knocked them all off their feet and sprinkled them with debris. Things were becoming a bit too…personal, though in some ways, he was actually sad. He'd feared the worse as he revealed portions of his checkered history with Terashima. Once again, it was a truly odd feeling-being scared of opening up only to find people actually accepting him rather than shunning him. At heart, Goro realized he would have liked for the moment to continue. If they survived this next encounter then perhaps, they could pick things up, provided Goro could find the emotional strength.

His hands had wrapped around Natsuo and Shuya as they were all thrown forward by the blast. Surprise attacks such as this he and the others could deal with, the Hashiokas were a different story. Goro couldn't help but worry about their safety more than the Phantom Thieves in spite of the fact that _none of them_ truly knew what they were up against. Roaring in his ears was shouting which was quickly drowned out by the explosive burst of gunfire. Through sheer experience, he recognized the pops and booms, placing them as belonging to Milady. Not for the first time, Goro was grateful for Haru's misleading yet extremely dangerous Persona. Even if her shots didn't hit anything, at the very least the enemy would have to spend some time dodging and seeking cover giving them a window to escape.

Or that's what he thought would have happened.

Haru's blood-curdling scream made his blood run cold and his eyes widen to moon-sized proportions. Fully alert, he turned from left to right trying to spot Milady, he found her, wreathing in agony as familiar arcs of red lightning twisted and coiling around her. The Empress-aligned Persona's master was in equal pain, having dropped her grenade launcher and was now clawing at her chest. Seeing her in such pain set something off in him that caused Goro to raise his upper body, his left hand leaving Shuya's waist and his fingers bending around his face. Before he could call forth his power, a supernatural chill washed over him and the surrounding area.

The hole that had been blasted into existence became covered by a sheet of steel-hard ice thanks to the serpentine dragon Akira had called forth. It wasn't there for long as Ryuji and Morgana placed their hands against the ice sheet. Blue flames pulsated through their body forming into their respective Personas. Both entities roared before channeling their power through their owners' hands. Hundreds of electrified pieces of ice exploded outward, all propelled by a gale-like wind that gave them the strength to punch through reinforced steel. And as evident by the bloody cries that followed, people too. There was a very real potential that some of the shards might have fatally impaled their attackers, but no one was paying much attention to that as there were other matters.

"Mona!"

"I'm on it!" Cried the humanoid feline springing into the hair.

What happened next would remain carved into the minds of the Phantom Thieves and the Hashiokas.

 _ **BANG!**_

It was sudden fast, but then again, people who witnessed shootings from up close commonly said it was all over in a blink. A bullet flew faster than the average human eye could comprehend leaving most unable to do anything but look at the aftermath. For all their power and experience, that's the situation the Phantom Thieves found themselves in. One minute they were watching their animalistic member beginning to transform, and the next he was sprawled out along the ground, an all-too familiar red liquid quickly pooling around his furry body.

"M-M-M-M-MONAAA!"

Who screamed first was Ann followed by Haru and even Futaba, the others were too shocked to properly voice their horror. Not even Akira, who stood still, wide-eyed like he'd just been sucker punched. He had been. Futaba scrambled toward the groaning feline, desperately screaming for assurance that he was still alive. Grumbled groans told them all he was, but it did little to take away from the terror they were all feeling.

Seeing the black-furred cat lying near helpless in Futaba's arms unloosened something in Goro's mind. He knew death and injury were very real possibilities, but to see it happen right before his eyes so suddenly had been…it'd been worse than he'd expected. Worse, it'd happen to Morgana, the last person he'd ever thought of getting injured. An unknown feeling fueling him, he rose, spinning on his heel with blue flames flaring about around him. Natsuo and Shuya cried out in shock as they scrambled away from him, seemingly fearful of getting burnt. The only people that were going to feel pain were those who'd inflicted it upon them all.

"Crow! Duck!"

At the very least he saw the attack coming before Makoto had to tackle him to the ground. That he chalked up to Robin Hood. _A sniper! Of course, how stupid of me!_ It was stupid of him to not take into account what kind of adversaries Shido would be sending after them. Street-level thugs, career criminals, and professional killers like himself.

Robin Hood got off one arrow, but that one arrow flew such a straight and true path it hit the bullet directly, deflecting it. Light illuminated the darkness revealing an approaching horde of tattooed crooks and gangsters who wouldn't hesitate to kill them all. For that reason, he subconsciously ordered Robin Hood to fire again; the white-clad archer obeyed. He was not alone. Whereas seconds before frost had touched his skin he now felt heat, raw burning heat. Arrows and fire, white fire, blasted through the area, catching the attackers in its stormy path. Goro diverted his eyes to his left, Makoto's blood-red arms met his own.

 _We hold them off._

 _Don't hold back, not against these people._

It would have been an interesting partnership, had Goro remained by Makoto's side.

He'd heard the expression, "bat out of hell", but he'd encountered few bats in the Metaverse. Bat-women, on the other hand, this time was a first.

 _ **Actually, they're harpies, more part-bird then anything.**_ Corrected the Norse trickster.

Amazing how clearly he could think as he was lifted by the throat and ran through the air like a battering ram. _Harpies, think you for that lovely piece of information, Loki._ That was the last coherent thought he had before pain exploded from the back of his skull into the rest of his body. Pure agony that had him tasting blood in his mouth while his ears rung like bells. His whole body ached in pain, but not for long. Having gone through this again and again, he'd learned how to rebound fast. Ingrained instinct had him raising his sword; luck was with him as he managed to sever the harpy's arm freeing himself.

 _ **Raise up your right!**_ Shouted his two Personas.

Goro almost got it right. Instead of his sword, he raised up his literal right arm, and got a hard swing to his arm. Pain exploded through his right arm leaving him close to biting his tongue. Finally opening his eyes, he saw someone, a woman with a twisted sneer for a face raising a metal baseball bat to no doubt cave his head in. Instinct took over giving him the swiftness needed to raise his left arm upward. How the metal bat didn't shatter was beyond him, no doubt it must have been enhanced in some way A shriek from above reminded him that his attacker's Persona was still at play. Peering upward, he saw a set of wings gathering emerald tendrils for a wind-type attack that would doubtlessly knock him flat on his ass, again.

He called forth his fire bird, and it completely blindsided the harpy. He raised his laser sword just in time to counter the female gangster's next swing. He was back in the game, at least for now.

The harpy tried for a counter attack, it met Phoenix's red-hot wings in an aerial clash that lit up the darkness.

Seeing his chance, Goro leaned to the side and struck with the quickness and viciousness of a wolf on the hunt. An arm flew, a voice screamed in horror and pain. Rather then another slash from his laser sword, he struck out with his leg delivering a hard kick that had his female assailant smacking hard against Mementos' blood-caked ground. Finished with the momentary scuffle, Goro looked around him to see what he'd missed. He suspected quite a bit.

He'd been right.

In the short seconds he'd been airborne, the ground had splint open and quite literally splint the ground in two. It'd divided the Phantom Thieves, all of whom were engaged in their own life or death battles. Or most of them anyway. And each member now had sufficient reason to hit their attackers with everything they had. Futaba had retreated behind Prometheus' blazing exterior, presumably with Morgana and Shuya since Goro didn't spot him amongst the ramble which put his heart at ease. But his sister was fighting.

The sight of Natsuo slashing and twirling with a knife was something that Goro wasn't going to be forgetting any time soon. Surprisingly, she was doing quite well for herself, even against the enemy Personas. Part of that was because Yusuke was doing his best to cover her. They'd fallen into some sort of weird teamwork in the few seconds he'd been out. The team's blue-haired swordsman had recovered from his earlier injuries and was now directing his Ultimate Persona was slashing at anyone foolish enough to approach him without any sort of caution. But it wasn't the attacks coming from close by that worried Goro, it were the unseen ones. He felt his back hairs stood up on end as he swerved his head to the left.

"Robin Hood!"

When the Archer of Sherwood materialized his arrow was already notched and his eyes focused. He let his arrow fly across the battlefield, sailing past fire, bullets, blades, and lightning toward its target-another projectile.

 _ **CLANG!**_

Goro couldn't help but grin as he saw his Persona's arrow cleave clean through the oncoming bullet. Whatever or whoever was firing at them was obvious shooting specializing rounds, but it wasn't enough to stop his Robin Hood. Yusuke briefly turned to face him. It was probably the first time the artist had ever shot him a genuine smile. It didn't' last long.

Feeling the hairs on his neck standing up on end in a bad way, Goro spun, his laser sword blazing green light as a massive steel blade came cleaving through the air. At first, he thought it was Terashima again, but one look into the spectral blue eyes of the entity and his fears were put at ease. That didn't mean he could relax just yet. He struggled for a splint second against the samurai-like entity, his eyes catching the shadowy movements of pair of men moving to his sides. Quieting his mind, Goro waited until they all came within close enough range, then he switched out his archer for something new.

Emerging from an array of blue flames was a man with dark gray skin, a green Renaissance doublet; in one hand he held a rifle while three trumpets hovered around him. Raising his horned head, blood-colored eyes glistened from beneath his leaf-colored hat.

"Barbatos, play the song of their demise, now!" Thundered the teenage hitman.

Tipping his hat, the Hanged Man Persona happily obliged his summoner's will by aiming his rifle upward as his trumpets took position around. A single shot rang out, and with it each trumpet blared with the force of thunder. Within seconds, it'd spread across the battlefield, terrifying the souls of the gangsters while the Phantoms felt an unearthly sense of dread wash over them before it quickly faded. Quickly, they realized they weren't the targets of the attack, and used the opening their white-clad teammate had provided for them. Goro was right there with them.

 _ **Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!**_

"Nicely done," Laughed the young hitman.

Barbatos tipped his hat in recognition of his summoner's praise. His face turned serious sensing the mood shift in his young master. Following a quick twirl, the Persona's rifle was directed downward toward the earth where the trigger was pulled. From there several teeth-rattling tremors spread out along the battlefield affecting all the combatants. Friend and foe alike stumbled about as many lost their balance. A part of Goro wanted to let Barbatos continue to shake the earth like a plaything, a means of working out his remaining excess aggression, but there were bigger things to mind.

Justine's words echoed in his head as he tried to silence his mind. _"Remember this, earth is perhaps one of the strongest elements one can bend to their will, but also the most dangerous. For with its power you may topple fortresses and cities, but be wary of the people within them. Though you may not care for all, you do care for a few, and those few can easily be caught in the crossfire."_

Jumping in, Caroline added her two cents, and her own version of a warning. _"Inmate B, don't forget what kind of place you're in. I mean, setting off a massive earthquake that brings everything around you crashing down, could bring up some bad memories. But why should you care? You haven't cared much about anyone or anything else until this point. If you don't want that…then you better have a strong will, earth doesn't bend easily."_

He'd taken that warning in strides, Goro knew nothing worthwhile in life was easy. Besides, finer control over his Personas was something he'd been experimenting with.

The fissure that had splint the ground mended itself, though in its place several new cracks appeared. All of them were under the gangsters attacking them. The more straight-minded of the group had a splint second to realize what was coming. From the cracks exploded orange and yellow-colored flames, concentrated mass of earthen energy Barbatos, and by extension Goro had called forth and commanded to eliminate his enemies.

He could sense blood beginning to trickle down his nose and his muscles groaning in discomfort. What strength he'd regained from their earlier rest he'd quickly blown through, and he was still pushing himself. Regardless, he knew what had to be done and set about doing it. Commanding Barbatos to take his geokinetic powers as far as they could, he targeted the general area containing Akira, Futaba, and the others and did his best to move it. Massive a task it was, the voices and frantic calls in his ears told him it was working so he pushed harder. It was hard for him to remember the last time he'd pushed himself so hard, and for the last cause he ever expected.

Everything was shaking including the ground beneath his feet. Colored dots were beginning to dance across his eyes making it hard to see more than five feet in front of him. Secretly, he hoped he'd moved the others out of the way. Between the near nonstop tremors, it was hard to tell as he could no longer clearly hear their voices. A part of him whispered it was time to stop, that he'd done enough. A heartbeat later and the decision was taken out of his hands.

Goro heard his two personas alert him to the oncoming attack, but he was already in too much pain to follow their advice. That resulted in him catching a solid mass of lightning to his left side. His earlier injuries were nothing compared to this latest wound, he screamed out in naked pain as his body left the ground and flew over Mementos' bloody floor. Violent electric seizures racked his body like a pack of angry vipers biting at every portion of his skin. Briefly, Goro wondered if this was what getting hit by one of Ryuji's lightning attacks would be like. It certainly had the force behind it. Just as he felt his body hit the ground, on something hard and metallic, he was hit by a second attack, this time it was a fireball.

Rolling across the tracks in agony, the brown-haired teen literally felt every nerve in his body being overloaded with pain. For a brief moment, he truly felt like simply laying down where he was and waiting for death to take him. A blaring horn from his right told him death wasn't going to come from the fire-lightning combo he'd been hit with but from one of the many empty trains in Mementos. He couldn't help but feel that would have been a fitting end to his wretched existence.

Somehow, he found the strength to glance upward; a pair of bright lights were speeding towards him. _So, this is where it ends for me, huh? Less than what I-_

 _ **You better not be thinkin' of quittin, bird-boy! This ride's not over yet!**_

Seiten Taisei's voice certainly resembled Ryuji's, albeit a tad more mature and bombastic, which fit the blond-haired teen perfectly. As did its formable strength-strength great enough to stop a speeding train from running him over. Though his body still ached in pain, Goro was able to sit up enough to catch the blue-caped monkey doing its best to hold off the subway train that was seconds away from running him over. He had little time to full take in the weight of what he was seeing.

"Ou-aahhhh!"

He'd seen it in TV shows, but experiencing it in real-life was a different story altogether. Being pulled through the air was not fun, at all. So many things blurred past him: craters, people, wildfires, and Personas. A single blink and he felt like he'd thrown flown over an entire country, his mind still struggling to comprehend what he'd just seen. And then it was all over.

"You know, I think you were more likable when you were playing the part of a cooler hand." Wheezed Akira.

"But he wasn't nearly as powerful as did, besides, it's kind of…nice seeing this side of him." Chimed Makoto, sounding equally exhausted.

Groaning, he tried to sit up only to feel a pair of hands each help him upright. Looking to his left he saw Haru, and looking to his right he found Natsuo. Though shaken, he could see the makings of a smile on her face.

"Alright, I'll bite, that was pretty cool, recklessly stupid, but cool. What else can you do, summon a little lightning storm or a tidal wave to drown out this entire place?"

In spite of the pain, Goro found himself laughing, though it came out more as a wheeze similar to Akira. "You want a lightning storm, look to Skull, he's the one with the lightning affinity."

"Even though his magic stats suck." Came Futaba's voice.

"Hey! I just pulled my weight and this is how you guys thanks me?!"

With the dizziness and pain fading, the rogue hitman could finally get a bearing on his surroundings. Somehow, they'd managed to make another getaway, even with their injured, which now included him. Speaking of injuries, Goro could now see everyone was beginning to get a bit worn down. Jō nodded at him, perhaps trying to dissuade him from bringing up the tight bandage that had to be wrapped around his left arm starting from the forearm down to his wrist. He could see the red stains beneath the hastily woven fabric. Speaking of red, his eyes finally found Morgana. Goro breathed out in relief seeing the blue-eyed humanoid cat was alive, but certainly scarred by the experience of being randomly shot down seconds before transforming. Like Jō, a healing bandage had been wrapped around his body, particularly his right side where he'd been hit.

Morgana caught his lingering gaze and jumped out of Futaba's arms. He wobbled for a second or two, but put on a brave smile for Goro's sake. The act was all too familiar. "So, you've got a Persona that can cause earthquakes, still full of surprises, aren't you, Crow? I'd say it's a good thing you were saving such a surprise for now instead of earlier, you'd have brought down an entire floor of Sae's Casino with power like that."

"Not exactly prime weapons or abilities for an assassin or thief though," Surrounded by the most unlikely of people, he let his walls down. Turning to Jō, he shot a very open wink his way. The veteran assassin looked genuinely shocked but accepted the praise none the less. Surely the older man was going to be questioning on it, as would his teammates. Finally, he took notice of Shuya, who'd been standing quietly beside Futaba. As one would expect, he looked shaken and covered over in dust, yet he was still holding himself together like his uncle and sister. Goro's eyes met Shuya's, and then the next thing he knew the fourteen-year-old was hugging him like he feared he was going to disappear any second. It was quite unexpected, but not unwanted.

"You scared us quite a bit, but it was an impressive showing." Craning his head around, the Justice-aligned Wild Card took notice of the ground to ceiling wall of ice that had been thrown up around them. It stretched from one end of the tunnel to the other, and if he had to guess it was a couple feet thick. Creating such a thing had taken a physical toll on Yusuke as he was being carried by Makoto by the arm. With his free hand, he removed his mask to give Goro a small smile. "You saved my life, Crow. I owe you one."

Immediately, Goro felt uncomfortable. Snapping his head away, he hoped no one commented on it. His hopes were quickly and ruthlessly dashed.

"Ah, you're even cuter showing your softer side while playing dress up!" Cooed Natsuo.

"S-S-Shut-up!"

"You know," began Ann with a growing smile. "You're not helping your case. Just admit it, we're growing on you, and to be honest…you're starting to grow on us. So, you're a Wild Card like Joker, but we've never seen him pull out Personas like yours."

"To be frank, I'm a tad bit jealous." Chimed in the black-haired teen while shooting him a sideways smirk. "Seems you've been hiding a lot more tricks from us than even _I_ thought."

It was a good thing Shuya had let go of him, he didn't want to accidentally hurt him as he practically jumped to his feet. In the corners of his mind, he supposed this was a case of being careful what one wished for as he always wanted to be the center of attention. This was far from what he pictured. "A-Alright, w-well, t-that's enough of that! I believe we've spent enough time playing around. Joker, everyone, I think it's time we-" Seconds after losing feeling in his legs, the phantom pain hit the rest of his body. His words came to a screeching halt as dizziness wrapped his brain and his balance became nonexistent. Had it not been for Natsuo and Haru, he would have fallen flat on his face.

"Uh, it's nice to know that you care, but I think you're trying to rush things. Don't do that on account of us." Offered the emerald-eyed girl as she and the brunette helped lower him back down. "Gor-Crow, you're pretty banged up from the scuffle so let's work on that first. From what I understand, it'll be a shit-show if we suddenly appear out of nowhere with you looking like you just survived a slasher movie. Not to mention we, they…um…" Her eyes went to Haru, who fidgeted to Akira.

"We can't."

Goro's eyes went cross. "What do you mean we can't?"

"Crow," Began Futaba with a voice laden with sorry and unease. Her booted feet shuffled uncomfortably as she struggled to piece the words together. "We can't leave Mementos, something…something is keeping us here. It's like we're-"

"Like we're all trapped. All of us." Noted Shuya drawing the young assassin's attention. "Those men…if they had something to pull us into this place, then is it possible they have something that can keep us here? Like some sort of jamming device? You guys said you come here using your phones so…could it be something like that?"

Though nervous quickly began to spread across the younger boy, Makoto was quick to dispel it. "As much as I hate to say it, it's possible."

"But how? I mean, it's not like-"

"Skull," The fact that Goro's voice was considerably soft came across as a surprise to the Phantom Thieves, one they honestly hadn't been expecting. Still colored by the night at Leblanc, many had come to associate the former hitman with anger and frustration. Now he looked more…resigned, though there was a small spark of determination in his eyes as he removed his mask to face them. Ryuji in particular took note of that since he and the laser-blade wielding teen hadn't exactly had the best of relationships. He took great care to answer his unspoken question. "I've been Shido's lapdog for two years or close to it. Two years, that's enough time for him to comb through Wakabe Ishiki's research, and it's not like she was the only one looking into the paranormal." His eyes visibly drifted to Natsuo, who caught his gaze.

Her response was an understanding nod as she laid back, both hands spread out behind her. "Baldy set a trap, and we all walked into it, nothing more, nothing less. All we can do now is fight our way out. Hey, Oracle," It was the first time she'd ever directly addressed Phantom's navigators. Naturally, she jumped at the direct and assertive voice. "This place is like a giant subway straight out of a seinen manga, but it's gotta have an exit, doesn't it? If we go straight up will we reach some sort of exist like a normal subway?"

"W-W-W-W-Well, u-um, m-m-maybe, I-I-I-I mean-"

"It's a bit more complicated than that." Leave it to her surrogate brother to step in and save her as she seemed on the verge of a panic attack. Akira's hard gaze was matched by Natsuo's. "As I'm sure you already know, this place exists in another dimension from our own, one that we can only access using our phones."

"If that's the case, then we may just have an answer right there." All eyes went to the only adult in the group. Fittingly, he was taking things as calmly as possible. For the Phantom Thieves, it was quite the shock given they believed if they introduced someone outside of their circle to the Metaverse. Then again, from what they'd seen, Jō Shishido had been quite a ways' around the block. He'd likely seen things some of them couldn't fathom, nor did they want to. "You go in and out of this place using your phones, by that logic, something must be interfering with that power. Like Shuya said, a jammer or something of the sort, likely in the position of our enemies. If they have the technology to enter this place, then odds are they've developed technology and means of keeping their targets from escaping whenever they get away from them, right, Goro?"

The man's younger counterpart gave an affirmative nod having picked up on the train of thought. "Yes, Shido more than certainly has the resources to. Those that came before and after Wakabe Isshiki, Shido no doubt went to all of them and took whatever he could from them."

"Before and after?" Inquired Haru.

"Wait, you're making it sound like you know more about my mom's research than…" Futaba's voice trailed off as she began putting the scattered pieces together. Goro knew that he was going to have to have a sit down with her as well. That said, he was going to need Natsuo at his side, somewhat problematic since the emerald-eyed girl tended to come on a bit strong. Seemingly coming to the same conclusion, the hacker shook her head and stepped back so she could summon Prometheus. "I-I'm gonna do a scan to try to figure out what's jamming us. If it's some kind of device then maybe we can destroy it so we can get out of here."

"In that case, we're going to need to rest up now." Spoke Makoto passing a glance toward Morgana and Goro.

"Diving right into the heart of enemy territory, sounds like a nice little suicide run." Chimed the older Hashioka.

"We've faced worse." Akira remarked earning a sharp glare from the iron-masked teen.

"Yeah, but have you guys ever killed before?" Countered Natsuo giving the Phantom Thieves passing glances. Goro had been the subject of her calculative stares and could say it hadn't been a fun experience. "I've killed people before, blondie over there saw me do it so let's just get this out of the way now." Standing on her feet, the validity of her words manifested themselves. Blood splattered her pant legs and coat sleeves. Goro didn't have to think hard about how it'd belonged to, or what had happened to those it belonged to. All of the Phantoms went silent with shut jaws as they looked ready to refute her, yet no one spoke up. Reaching behind her back, Natsuo withdrew a knife, likely taken off one of the defeated gangsters. It was a combat knife, a tactical combat tanto to be exact. In her hands, the black blade glowed with crimson lines that immediately marked the weapon as something different. "My uncle, my little brother, and Goro, if need-be, I _will_ kill anyone who threatens them. Got it? Any moral BS you want to spout to me, get it out now before we go any further."

Her voice wasn't humorous like it had been before. Her eyes were not sparkling with mischievous amusement. They stood out in the darkness of Mementos like green-colored torches that burned into each member of the Phantom Thieves, engraving her words into their psyches. Silence was the natural response. Looking to the eight teens and cat, it was clear her words had hit them hard and forced them to rethink any initial observations or conclusions they'd made about the flame-haired girl. Not one person tried to laugh off her words because they could see the truth in her eyes.

Not so after, she was joined by her uncle.

It had lingered in the back of the minds of the Phantom Thieves that their surprise adult ally was a former hitman, but thanks to the battles they'd been forced to push that thought to the back of their minds. Now that they were in a lull period that fact was being forced back to the surface by Jō himself. His iron glare was perhaps more intimidating than his sister's proving the apple hadn't fallen far from the tree.

He stood upright, brown eyes hardened yet somewhat slack as the teenagers stared at him with a mixture of anticipation and fear. Not escaping his gaze was the way Futaba slowly began to move behind Akira. "Like my niece said, I'm a hitman, formerly retired but I've come out of that for this…special occasion. I'm an old hand at murder, I've killed more people than I can count, more than my little kohai over there."

"Kohai?" Questioned Ryuji looking to Goro with a look of pure confusion. In response, the brown-haired teen merely groaned and shook his head. The former tracker star actually took the hint and left the issue alone, for the moment.

Jō didn't miss a beat as he resumed his speech. "Now look, from what I can tell, you're an honest group of kids trying to make the world a better place…which means ordinarily you'd be hating my guts and wanting me locked away forever, especially you, Queen."

"H-Huh?" Stammered the brunette suddenly feeling an uncomfortable chill crawl up her spine. She wasn't alone.

To his credit, Jō smiled a bit as he rubbed the back of his head as if he were feeling some sort of cramp. "I gotta say, this isn't how I ever expected to meet you, Makoto Niijima, in fact, I was honestly hoping I'd never meet you at all."

"WHAAAT?!"

Makoto felt as if all the air had been sucked out of her lungs as she stumbled backward, close to tripping over her own feet. "Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-You k-k-kn-know m-m-my identity?! B-B-But-"

"Before you start blaming the kid, let me say I pieced it together by watching you. You know, they talk about your sister, not a lot of kind things to say, but a strong-willed woman with a little sister she tries her best to take care of. Personally, I find her quite admirable, though she could stand to loosen up a bit."

While the rest of the children attempted to process the shock, Natsuo slammed her right fist into her left palm. "Ah, so that's it! Goody-Two-Shoes Makoto Niijima of Shujin Academy! Damn, talk about a scoop!" Eyes snapped to the flame-colored girl as she shot the red-eyed brunette a Cheshire grin. Normally, Makoto would have shrugged it off, but in this case, it just made her feel more scared. "Who would have thought that such a goody-goody would be running with such a wild and freaky bunch. Goro, I don't think I gave you enough credit. Her and the girl who's dad you sent to the hereafter, talk about guilt-trip."

The second domino fell. "W-W-Wait, y-y-you know m-my identity as well?" Cried Haru feeling her legs growing wobbly.

"We did make him confess eighty-percent of everything when we took him in." How Shuya was processing things was anyone's guess. His face had an unnatural blank expression that made his emotions and thoughts hard for the Phantom Thieves to read. Not exactly helping matters was how he'd sided with his sister and uncle. From his posture alone he seemed to be judging things, waiting for the revelations and confessions to run their course before even thinking of throwing his thoughts in. "If you're scared about us telling anyone, don't worry. We know how to keep a secret, though we've pretty much got all of you by the balls too." Or not.

His language came completely out of nowhere.

"Hey now," Began Ryuji giving the boy something of a glare. He wasn't trying to offend anyone, but they'd been dealt one curveball after another and he was getting tired of it. "Don't you think that's bit a of crude way to put it?"

"Coming from the guy who stops short at dropping the F-bomb." Whistled Goro causing the blonde's attention to snap to him.

"Hey! Blame my mom! I cursed once in front of her and next thing I knew I went the rest of the night tasting soup in my mouth!"

"Poor you, and now you're stuck skirting the line even now that she's not here." Mused Natsuo before shifting her gaze back to Makoto. The Cheshire grin returned with her causing the brown-haired girl to clam up. Clearly, it was amusing to watch. "They talk about you outside of Shujin, not exactly nice things, but word's been changing. Word is you've started to pull that stick out of your ass, now I finally know why." Between her smile and the sideways glance of her uncle, Makoto was practically shaking where she stood. It was a complete contrast to the hard-faced teenage girl who'd been punching out gangsters and flinging nuclear blasts mere moments ago. After a moment of watching, Natsuo burst out laughing. "Relax, relax! I'm not gonna rat you out after saving my ass and my family! I may be a bitch but I draw the line somewhere, besides," In two short steps she was standing behind Goro, her fingers playfully drumming along his head. "If I turned one of you in, it'd make bird-nose here sad, which is the last thing I want!"

Said bird-nose's eyes twitched as he looked to his white-masked counterpart. "Joker, shoot me."

Akira said nothing as he looked to Natsuo. "Do that and I'll tear your arm off."

He snickered and shrugged his shoulders.

"Skull, bash my head in."

Following after his best friend, Ryuji grinned. "Sorry, dude. Much as I'd love to, my hands on tied."

"Fox, decapitate me."

Yusuke blinked as if nothing were wrong. "I'd rather not."

"Noir!"

As if all the previous tension had been washed away, Haru giggled looking like she was back home watching her favorite nightly shows. That's certainly what the situation felt like. "I'm happy you've found such a woman, Crow! She's a good fit for you!"

Goro felt as if he was going to explode from the blazing hot embarrassment. Morgana then decided to toss his opinion into the mix. "Picking up a girl while we were out searching for you. It seems my charms have rubbed off on you."

"Charms? What charms? Last I checked Ann's still got the hots for-"

"Look, can we please just get back to the original topic!" There was some solace in the fact that the red-masked female had gone from laughing with the others to sweating bullets like him. She'd become his unlikely savior. "L-L-L-Look, w-we're…we're…we're in a tight spot so can we trust you guys to have our backs?"

"Yes, you can, but I'm not going to be holding back against these people." Answered Jō giving the assembled teenagers a hard stare.

"And neither should the rest of you." Added Natsuo narrowing her eyes. She looked almost like a snake, leering at its potential prey and sizing up the rescue associated with striking. "Let's get one thing straight, the people coming after us are thugs who won't bat an eye at slashing our throats." She paused. "Well, they'll kill all the guys and probably sell us girls or keep us for themselves. Except Goro here, they'll beat his ass senseless, drag him back to his old man and then kill him in some elaborate yet humiliating manner that'll leave him an angry ghost."

"I'm pretty sure he's already got enough anger to become an _onryō_." Noted Shuya causing the older boy to give him an aside glance, though it wasn't one of anger. "Come to think of it, do those exist? If this place is made from people's subconscious then does-"

"Um, not to sound rude, but I think we might be getting off topic." Spoke up Haru. Mentally bracing herself, she looked Jō in the eye and directly addressed him while giving side glances to his niece. "M-Mister Shishido, though we've become adapt at battling Shadows in the Metaverse we…this is our first time engaging other humans. More so, humans with powers similar to ours. In order to survive this, I…please, lend us your help."

The odd family of three all looked to the heiress before turning their gaze to her companions. Though some at first tried to look away they all eventually met his gaze. One by one, they all nodded. There was more to it though, thoughts and feelings they wanted to vocalize but couldn't because of the situation. Perhaps when they were out of mortal danger than they could voice them. None of the Hashiokas held out hope it would be a happy conversation. And neither did Goro.

But for the moment, it was enough.

Jō reached into his pocket. "Alright then, brace yourselves. I've been in a lot of messes like this and I can tell what comes next-war." The cigarette hung in-between his lips as he pulled out a lighter which was lit a second later.

Natsuo voiced her discontent. "Dammit, Uncle Jō! After almost two months you were doing so well!"

Breathing out a plume of smoke, the old assassin couldn't help but laugh at his niece's irritation. In contrast, his nephew simply shook his head, having seen his relapse coming. "What? We're now engaged in a life-or-death struggle against clans under the thumb of a megalomaniac who also happens to be just a few short steps away from becoming the most powerful man in Japan. I feel I'm inclined to at least one smoke."

"I'd say you're right about this. Things are going to get pretty crazy from here on out." Laughed Akira having slipped back on his mask of confidence. At the moment, it was somewhat uplifting. "Just a heads up though, from here on out things are going to get pretty crazy."

The graying-haired adult stared back at the black-haired teen with sharp eyes. In a single exchange they'd both learned quite a bit about one another. "Will there be people trying to kill us?"

Akira's expression immediately fell, as did his voice. "…Yes."

"Then I'm ready," He cast a sweeping glance over his niece, nephew, and his kohai, all of whom were expressions of grim resolution. "People like us, rather it's up stairs or this hellhole, so long as that's the condition, we'll make do."

* * *

 _ **Location Unknown, 12:58 PM…**_

"Put up a harder fight than you thought, didn't they?" There were several snickers from the technicians and operators behind the monitors, much to Hikawa and his compatriots' frustration. This was no laughing matter. "Very well then, stand put while we try to get a fix on their location, use the time to tend to the injured and take stock of your supplies. Oh, and try to avoid the Reaper. You've all caused quite a bit of ruckus so I'm sure he's woken up."

Hikawa snorted in annoyance. He knew once his call got through something like this was coming, Kenzaburō's smart mouth would be unable to hold in his wisecracks. Rather than get into a firing match with the professor, he wisely decided to follow the advice and tend to those injured in his group. As much as he hated to admit it, the aged scientist had been right. On more than one account. With such ease he'd warned them all that their targets would resist, most of the gangsters he'd been sent out with laughed while Terashima merely grinned. Everyone could see he was one of the few who took Kenzaburō's words to heart; it showed as the aggressive hitman was one of the handful not stewing in his own anger or nursing a wounded ego. Speaking of ego, Kenzaburō personally thought this whole experience should have been humbling for the men.

So many of them had gone into the Metaverse thinking that they'd be able to steam-roll the Phantom Thieves and return in time for mid-day drinks, maybe even before then. What they'd ended up with were several of their compatriots dead or maimed and most if not all of them discovering what it felt like to be in a warzone. For those seasoned amongst the group, the battles in the Metaverse had been everything they'd feared. Or in Terashima's case, hoped. He'd buzzed in once to inform them that he was taking his squad in a different direction and would radio in when they'd discovered their target. There was a murmur of discontent and nervousness from the twenty or so operators within the room as several of them knew of Terashima's reputation. It escaped no one's notice that the man was like a big cat on the prowl, and the leash holding him was rusty at best.

Satoru Esaki would have liked nothing better than for the man to be devoured by Shadows, or shot in the head. As far as the police commissioner was concerned, Terashima was a mad dog that needed to be put down. Ironically, he shared far more in common with his official superior, Superintendent Mitsumoto than he let on, but he didn't want people knowing that. Especially the man he'd truly pledge allegiance to.

"Dr. Kenzaburō, is there still time to mobilize my team and get them into the Metaverse?" Finally asked the younger Esaki brother with a sharp glare.

The older man responded by giving the police commissioner a sideways stare, something he'd grown somewhat used to. Caramel eyes that had seen more grizzly things than he could imagine, eyes that somewhat reminded him of his hazel-eyed friend. They were the eyes of someone who wouldn't back down if challenged, and certainly knew how to bite back if someone tried to press them into a corner. "I would not recommend doing that. Look," His left hand rose from the pocket and pointed to the jumbo-sized monitor that sat at the back of the room. Reading his will, one of the operators honed in one of the many colored dots along the screen. Following a quick analysis, an identification box came up. "All the commotion has stirred the Reaper causing it to come out and start hunting. I can't promise you that when your team phases into the Metaverse it won't immediately go after them."

Satoru pressed his lips. "My men are armed and ready, they can handle themselves."

"Hm, yes, and what lie will you tell to their families regarding their mysterious deaths and why their minds have been reduced to slices of chopped lettuce?"

All the police commissioner could do was simmer in quiet anger as another round of snickering from those in the room. It was positively degrading.

 _ **Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!**_

And things just got worse.

Kenzaburō's lips twitched into a momentary smile while Satoru's eyes grew wide. They both knew who was calling, the only question was would the call be answered. Even with all the chatter, the operators heard the phone ring and began bracing themselves. Several openly cursed how much they hated working for a megalomaniac while others began asking if they could take their lunch break early.

The scientist looked to the policeman, who looked back at him with half-hearted resistance. A moment later and the resistance crumbled. Satoru reached into his pocket and swiped his finger over the surface allowing the call to come through.

"Satoru, report, has Akechi been secure and we can move on to the next stage? Have any of those Thieves been captured alive?"

 _Alive? I was under the impression he wanted all of them killed as quickly as possible._ Momentarily, his eyes drifted to Kenzaburō, who'd reached into his pocket for another stick of gum. Quickly, Satoru moved his eyes away as the scientist began to sense his gaze. "U-Um, w-w-well, S-Shido-san, the capture of the targets is-"

It was almost a full minute before Satoru could comprehend what had just happened. One minute he was holding his phone and the next he felt like he was gripping nothing but air, because he was. Shocked, he looked to Kenzaburō, who'd snatched the phone out of his hand with the quickness of a viper.

"The kids are still on the loose, told you they're a crafty bunch you were underestimating." Spoke the ex-SEBAC researcher.

No one had to wait long for the explosion.

" _WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY HAVEN'T BEEN CAPTURED YET?! I AUTHORIZED YOU TO SEND OUT A SMALL ARMY TO BRING THOSE DEGENERATES IN NOW!"_

A stream of profanities exploded from the other end, loud enough for every man and woman in the control room to hear. There were some snickers from those who found the rant amusing, others on the other hand merely groaned.

Satoru visibly winced as Kenzaburō held the phone away from his ear. A dark-blue colored bubble emerged from his lips and then popped a second later. He seemed as if he were waiting for a rainstorm to pass instead of sheltering from a meteor rain like him. Within the bowels of his soul, Satoru actually found himself envying the enigmatic scientist for being able to maintain such a calm demeanor. It just furthered the similarities between him and Mitsumoto.

Sensing a break, Kenzaburō held the phone back up to his ear. "Finished? I certainly hope you got all of that out in private otherwise you've just given the bloggers and new anchors not in your pocket something to talk about."

There were several tired huffs on the other end. Even when he spoke again, it was clear Shido was close to erupting again. "Release the Hellhound Unit, now."

"I'd advise against that, Shido-san. Some of them are still in their-"

"I don't care!" Barked Shido, nearly shaking the phone with the level of malice in his voice. "You can bring Akechi's half-dead corpse back, I don't give a damn about the rest of them! Just do it!"

Kenzaburō was silent for a moment, his expression unreadable. "Yes sir," he finally said in a dead voice. "It will be done." The line went dead and he handed the phone back to Satoru. "Contact Terashima's unit and tell them to release the hounds. Oh, and kindly remind them to steer clear. Some of them aren't controllable from our end so there's a chance they'll run amok."

"Is that really such a bad?" Offered Satoru with a sneer.

"I keep forgetting it was your brother that went into the military instead of you."

The commissioner's sneer deepened. "Every person down there in those tunnels is a degenerate piece of garbage the world would be better off without. If they're not wearing a badge then I couldn't care less what happens to them; shot and left for dead, devoured by Shadows, or prey for this oh-so-scary Reaper, none of it matters to me."

"…Noted, then pray we don't awaken anything down there we can't contain."

* * *

 _ **Mementos…**_

"You know, if you could manifest this in the real world, you'd probably be able to run an entire country, or two, or three."

"Please don't give her any ideas." Groaned the younger Niijima while the person in question grinned.

Things had…quieted down a bit since the agreement that had been reached between the Phantom Thieves and the Hashiokas. Part of that was due to the blooming odd friendship between the former's hacker and the latter's youngest member. Given its none-combat nature, Prometheus made a suitably hiding place for the youngest Hashioka. Shuya had been rightly blown away by the inside of the flaming sphere, and Futaba had been caught completely off-guard upon the realization that the fourteen-year-old could _understand_ the information being transmitted.

Natsuo had merely giggled and proclaimed that her little brother was a smart kid.

With the two of them working together, the time for the "jamming source" was greatly reduced.

"Alright, lay it on us, you two. How far deep into the lion's den are we going to be going?" They'd used the time they did have to heal up, a task that went faster since Morgana had regained enough of his strength to cast healing spells. All that said, it'd left the feline feeling winded as evident by his staggering afterwards. No one brought up the possibility of him transforming into his automobile form.

Emerging from the flaming head, the two youngsters looked to one another then to the rest of the assembled group.

"Turns out Shuya was right, it is like radio jamming." Began Futaba. "As for the source of the jamming, we think we've found it."

Shuya held out his hands causing small candle flickers to appear in both his palms. He showed no discomfort or shock at the sudden manifestation. By his will, the flames shaped into a screen, a map to be exact. The Phantom Thieves recognized the various levels of Mementos; their location on the fifth floor was represented by a top hat and a mask, their emblem. Two levels up, on the Path of Chemdah was an emboldened X that was radiating crimson-colored waves that spread out to the rest of Mementos. "It won't be pretty, but we think we've got a plan."

"For the record, we came up with this plan by-"

"How much collateral destruction are we talking? Does it involve using Skull like a battering ram?" Natsuo chirped.

"What?! Hey, I thought we dropped that!"

There was a round of laughter from the group while the blond-haired shotgun-user grumbled to himself.

Shuya's grin deepened before he directed his focus back to the map. The image changed, becoming a 3D layout of the floor and the jamming device in question. "We can break through the floors, if we put all of our powers together. Not only will it be enough to destroy the device, but it should-"

Eyes dilated as a lone howl rocked the twisted subway tunnel. Blood ran cold and hearts skipped several beats.

"Does this place have canines?" Jō questioned moving his hand to his hip.

"No, at least not the cute and cuddly kind." Answered Ann stretching her whip.

Darkness rolled in, literally. Tension filled the bodies of the group as everyone jumped to their feet, weapons at the ready. Futaba got the hint and grabbed Shuya, whose eyes had remained enlarged. They disappeared behind Prometheus' flaming vintage, scans going out and readings coming in.

"Dogs, hunting dogs."

"Huh?" Questioned Futaba turning to the brown-haired boy. "What do you mean hunting dogs? Do you know what's out there?"

Futaba shuddered when the younger boy turned to face her. She felt like she was being probed. "Dogs, hunting dogs." He repeated. "Something…something vicious, something _wicked_."

Another howl broke the air.

"Contact!" Yelled Futaba.

"Noir!" Clarified Shuya.

Haru felt the hairs on her neck stand on end; instinct took over from there.

 _ **Clang!**_

The darkness had all-but consumed the tunnel making it hard to see, and even hear. One thing could be heard though, growling, feral, canine growling.

"Noir! Noir, are you alright?!" Called Akira keeping his knife held tight and keeping his gun raised. If he had to guess, this darkness was also some sort of stat-changing spell as he felt like every nerve in his body was being pressed.

"I-I'm okay!" She called out from beyond the darkness. "Everyone, please be careful, these things are-"

"GAHHH!"

"ARGH!"

"Skull!" Snapped Ann taking off into the darkness.

"Fox!" Cried Haru quickly searching the darkness for any sign of the swordsman. She found him next to a burning light, a flame. The pieces snapped together immediately causing Haru to sprint towards the flame. Her eyes spotted the black beast atop of him, just barely held at bay by Yusuke's katana. Flames were exploding from the beast's jaws and spelling out; it was cooking Yusuke as if he were in an oven. Her grenade launcher came out, the trigger squeezed down. Two shots hit the beast giving him the window needed to throw the beast off of him. "Fox, Fox, are you okay? You're-"

"I'm fine." Yusuke groaned holding his bleeding right side. So far, this day had been everything but kind to him. "Everyone, be careful, these creatures are-"

"A pain in the ass!" Declared Natsuo followed by two flashes from her gun. There was a yelp of pain, then a snarl. What followed next was grunting.

He didn't scream out in alarm, he just acted. Goro had a feel where Natsuo was and that's the direction he took off toward. Within seconds, his eyes were able to make out the black shape atop of her.

The on-edge teens and adult all flinched at the death yelp that echoed. Even the other hounds paused in their attack to mourn the loss of one of their own, and focus their ire on his killer.

"Someone trained you."

Goro momentarily looked over his orange-haired ally. A few scratches, but none the worse for wear. Briefly, he wondered if these beasts were carrying rabies or anything of the sort. Casting a glance at the severed halves of the dog that had been attacking her. Though he wasn't exactly an animal lover, he'd read up on a few species of dogs and birds every now and then. He recognized the build and tags around the black-furred beast he'd cut in two. They were attack dogs, trained attacks dogs.

 _ **Be on guard, for their target…is you.**_ Warned Loki manifesting behind him atop his back.

 _ **Goro, choose your next move wisely. This battle is about to get a whole lot nastier.**_ Added Robin forming at his left side.

They were both right. He couldn't see them, but he could feel them, no doubt thanks to Robin Hood's increased sensory abilities. The Phantoms were putting up a good fight, especially Morgana who was throwing everything he had at the attack dogs, though the latter weren't making things easy. They were getting bogged down, creating such a ruckus that either the gangster would catch up to them or the Reaper would. No doubt it was a two-pronged plan to seek the dogs on them.

 _Dogs. Dogs. Dogs. Dogs. Dogs._

" _That's all you are, nothing but a dog, a bastard dog scrapping around! Now, get the hell out of here!"_

For a second, the memory caused anger to flare within him, but as quickly as it flared up it was forced down. Focused through a vein and tampered with something…cooler.

" _You're nothing to him, just a tool to be used then thrown away, like a damn attack dog! That's all you'll ever be to him!"_

So close to him, Natsuo naturally sensed the sudden mood change in her fellow outcast. Her mind instantly turned from the attack canines to the red-masked teen who'd gone deathly still. "Hey, Goro? You're not spacing out on us, are you?"

His smile frightened her, it was calm and serene, like a man who'd just made peace with his demons before his execution. "No, quite the contrary. Watch yourself down here, it can get pretty scary sometimes."

The white-garbed teen broke into a sprint, cutting the light from his laser blade leaving them back in total darkness. Natsuo's voice quickly faded away as he sprinted in a general direction which he knew to be where the train would be passing. "HEY! MUTTS! FELLOW BASTARD DOGS OF SHIDO, I'M OVER HERE!" It felt oddly invigorating to say the words, they almost seemed to give his feet an extra boost.

His ploy worked, much to the chagrin teammates. Their voices rose in shock and confusion as they all realized they were no longer the targets of the attack dogs, he was. The darkness was fading from the area, more so since Makoto and Ann summoned their respective Personas and used them to light up the darkness.

Seconds following the illumination, the train came, his train. He concentrated as much of his power into his laser pistol as he brought it forward. Time slowed to a crawl allowing him to perfectly visualize the speeding car as it came closer and closer, specifically, the door he was aiming for.

 _Thank you, Robin Hood._ Thought the Wild Card as he squeezed the trigger releasing a fist-sized mass of concentrated energy from the golden muzzle. It blew a hole through the approaching subway car, one big enough for him to hurl himself through. Without a doubt it was going to hurt like hell, but compared to what he'd already been through, it was nothing.

It wasn't just Robin's hood hand he felt; Loki's was there too. He could practically feel the smile on the Norse god's face as he put his strength into the shove as well. Together, they propelled him forward, through the hole he'd made. The voices of the Phantom Thieves and the Hashiokas disappeared in seconds as the train car roared down the tracks, taking him with it. Goro felt his head impact something metallic, but the pain was shockingly on the light side, though he could still feel his ears ringing from the act.

Scooted backward, all he could hear was the roar of the train and the occasional wailing that occupied Mementos' inner depths. Natsuo had been right about the entire place seeming like something of a seinen manga, a horror manga. Of course, being a closet nerd Goro knew how a good majority of those stories ended. Even if the hero lived and defeated the villain or evil force, he more often than not came out scarred. He wasn't the hero, but he was perhaps the main character so he could at least try his best.

A feral snarl caught his attention as he turned his head back. The good news was, his plan had worked. The bad news was, his plan had _worked_.

The dog that stood at the opposite end of the car was larger than the others with an elaborate metal collar. From what little he could see, the beast also had metal implants in its body. Without a doubt, it'd gone through great pain to attain the supernatural power he and his fellow Persona-users wielded. Pain that more than likely lingered. Goro was happy for that as it made the coming fight even on multiple grounds.

Standing up, he activated his laser blade, in response the dog growled giving him an eyeful of pure-white fangs.

Crimson-webbed walls zoomed past them while hundreds of voices screamed and moaned into a morbid cacophony.

A blood-red aura began to swell around the dog resembling a candle flame manifesting out of nowhere. In accordance, a blue flame lit up Goro's body as he took a fighting stance, the same one his foster father had taught him. His blood-red eyes met the feral orbs of the dogs. For a brief second, both beings acknowledged one another.

Then they dashed toward one another, weapons bared and ready to tear the other apart.

* * *

 **Time for the author's notes. First off, I'm rather excited for Persona 5 The Royal AND Scramble, in fact, I'm pretty excited for the Scramble since I've long wished for a Persona-tailored Dynasty Warriors game. Fire Emblem, Gundam, and the Legend of Zelda got one so I held out hope and my hopes were answered. Anyways, tell me what you all thought of this chapter.**

 **Barbatos is yet another old Persona from the P2/P1 era with a specialty in Earth Skills. I'd like it if the Earth element made a come back but I'm not holding my breath, plus as joked about in-story, there'd be some…negative implications in Japan regarding earthquakes and seismic destruction. Also as noted by Morgana, it's not exactly the type of element you associate with stealth but with mass destruction and chaos if unchecked. I tried to keep things paced so after throwing out so many strong spells and attacks Goro started running out of strength and had to be bailed out by the rest of the team.**

 **I won't lie, With John Wick 3 around the corner I couldn't help myself this chapter. To be honest, I have sort of designed Jō after John since they're both retired hitman who've filled up graveyards…yet still retain some manner of decency and humanity (unless you do something stupid like pissing them off). This chapter I wanted to get the moral divide between the Hashiokas and the Phantoms out of the way, or at least move it past a point so they could work together. I'm interested in skirting the line between moral, immoral, and borderline amoral and that skirting's far from done with.**

 **As with the artificial Persona-users, the dogs were hinted at in Chapter 14. If you got back and re-read it I'm sure you'll know what Goro's going to be going up against next chapter. For those of you who don't remember, the beast was one of the ones summoned during the first half of his boss fight along with another Shadow with a symbolic connection to him. Though he's associated with birds, I've begun to feel Goro's also got some things in common with dogs, particular in regards to one's desire for companionship and the pain of loneness. In closing, expect a very vicious and brutal dog fight next chapter.**


	21. Chapter 20-The Red Reflection

**Chapter twenty, took a while but I'd say things are mostly progressing as I'd planned. This chapter marks the start of the endgame of the first quarter of the story.**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 20-The Red Reflection**

" _Cry 'Havoc!', and let slip the dogs of war."_

Perhaps being a dog of war was better than a bastard dog, or maybe there was no difference between them. They were good for only killing and destroying, both of which Goro knew quite a bit about. If he had to guess, so too did his canine opponent. It was a service dog, or a former service dog. Like him, the god's eyes glowed with the tempered flame that came from seeing combat.

Crimson and teal-colored sparks exploded from their first collision. Normally, when his laser blade met flesh it cut through it with amazingly ease, not that he got to use it on living flesh often. Instead, his blade was pushed back as if it had met a power of equal strength to its own. His mind racing and his blood pounding in his ears, Goro glanced at the fangs of his bestial foe. Since entering the Metaverse he'd been able to _see_ things he couldn't before; in this case, he saw the near silvery shine of the dog's teeth. Animal teeth weren't supposed to glisten like that.

 _So, he's moved onto experimenting on animals. Why am I not surprised!_ His right foot shot backwards to balance himself as he raised his sword arm again, still shaking a little from the previous clash. Expectedly, the modified dog leaped at him again, this time using its claws for a frontal assault. They too glistened with silver light that was in every way unnatural for an earthly animal.

Both combatants fell backward, but one regained their footing faster than the other. Goro sucked in a breath as he watched a red glow line the canine's fur, which stood up on end making it look less like fur and more like a coat of razors. His tightly guarded nerd-knowledge sprung to the forefront of his mind.

Instead of attempting another parry that would off-balance him, he dodged, right at the last second.

Even he had to admit, there was something darkly spectacular about watching the beast curl itself into a ball as it launched itself at him. It seemed like an attack torn from some anime or video game; then again, the Metaverse was a place that blended reality with fantasy with impunity. Though he was successful in avoiding injury, it was still a little too close for comfort. Goro could practical feel the energized hair needles gliding across his white and gold-accented uniform as he twisted his body to the side. While a part of him wanted to relax, the fighter in him warned that it wasn't over, not by a mile.

He was proven right as the dog skidded to a stop, leaving drag marks on the floor of the subway car. Flames shot from the canine's clenched jaws, once its blood-colored eyes met Goro's, the jaws opened and out came a red-hot fireball aimed directly at his chest.

The Quasar Saber burst into a torrent of teal-colored fire that was swung upward. Intertwined with the flames was now a lining of plasma energy that propelled the attack upward, straight through the ceiling. Within seconds of the deflection the teenage assassin's right hand drew his pistol, his fingers squeezing down on the trigger; four gold-lined shots burst from the muzzle.

None of them had any visible affect upon the empowered beast. The entire train car became awash in blistering hot heat, which was visible in the flaming aura surrounding the larger-than-average attack dog staring him down. They collected around the jaws, Goro's heart skipped a beat as he realized what was coming. A second later and the beast opened its maw releasing a concentrated blast of flames that would have incinerated him on the spot had he mounted a defense of his own.

"Phoenix! Fire Break!" Shouted the brown-haired youth dismissing his laser pistol and putting his right hand to his face. Manifesting in a cloud of blue flames that quickly became orange and yellow, came the firebird of legend.

Instead of hitting him, the fire blast was deflecting to the sides, melting away the metal and glass of the subway car as if it were paper. Ordinarily, this would have been when alarms started to sound and passengers scream in terror as they jumped from their seats and demanded the train to stop. There were no passengers on this otherworldly subway nor was there any stopping this train. Even with Phoenix's protection up, the Persona-user still felt traces of the heat licking at his skin, a testament to the power of the dog, but also of his own Sun-aligned Persona shielding him as he could have been feeling worse.

Seconds after the attack began, Phoenix decided to end it. Flapping its wings, the bird sent shockwaves of heat and ember rocketing outward causing the entire train car to shake like a toy. As her wings flew outwards a circle of flame-like markings materialized, then broke apart releasing an orange-colored wave that washed over enclosed space.

Surprise momentarily colored the attack dog's face as it realized that its fire attacks were no longer an option. It didn't spend too much dwelling on them; the beast decided to go the physical route by lunging at him with gleaming white fangs that could easily tear into his flesh. Goro was prepared for it though. Dismissing his Persona, he stepped to the side just enough that the lunging beast was still within his striking range. He timed it right, raising his laser blade just as the dog's midsection passed before him.

He didn't smile as blood flew upward from the wound. Goro never particularly thought of himself as a sadist, at least not when it came to harming anyone who hadn't personally slighted him. This dog was the same as him, something breed to kill and as soon as its duty was accomplished it'd be tossed away like a dirty rag. That connection, that similarity is why he felt a ping of guilt as the massive canine slammed against the seats, blood spilling from its wound.

It was unknown if the beast felt similar sympathy for him, it certainly didn't act like it as its head rose and shook off the dizziness from its failed attack. Teeth and fangs were upon Goro in seconds, only kept at bay thanks to the cackling mass of energy projected from his cutlass-like hilt. Goro stumbled backward, all the way up to the scorching hot metal that was the wall. Droplets of canine saliva dripped against his knees as he attempted to steel them.

Murderous hatred was reflected in the dog's eyes as it tried its hardest to chew through his energy blade and rip his neck open. Gnashing his own teeth, Goro tried to think of a way to turn the tide of the struggle before such a thing came to pass. He imagined it would take him long to bleed out along the floor of the train car; actually, such a fate seemed almost preferable to being dragged back to Shido a bloodied and broken mess. Just the mere thought caused all the muscles in his body to flare up giving him the strength to push back against the canine monster. What had been a compressed blade suddenly burst into a roaring teal-colored torrent of energy that forced the dog back.

 _ **SLISH!**_

Yelping in pain, the attack dog seemingly backed away as smoke rose from the wound stretching from its right side snout down its neck. Its jaws must have hurt as well as Goro's Quasar Saber glowed with a brightness that lived up to its name. His own eyes were illuminated with an azure light in the lankness of the flames he and his fellow Phantom Thieves manifested when summoning their Personas. His blue-lined eyes met the blood-colored orbs of the beast, both charged at one another with the intent to kill and maim driving their bodies.

If Goro's laser blade wasn't cackling before then it certainly was it once more was caught in the jaws of the genetically modified attack dog. Arcs of bright green and white lightning lashed out in all directions, tearing holes and jagged lines in the subway car as the two powers struggled against each other. This time, the animal wasn't messing around as it took Goro placing his free arm on his left arm to kept his blade level and his attacker at bay as it attempted to crush the energy blade in-between its jaws. He knew if he was to get out of this alive he was going to have to summon more power from within, something he was growing quite used to.

 _ **On your six!**_ Blared his two main Personas, the fact that they were speaking in unison could only have meant that it was serious.

Twisting his head around, he saw it indeed was. "Oh, come on!" Running at him with equal sharp fangs was another attack dog, this one slightly smaller than the one he was currently trying to hold off. Not wasting any more time on curses, he whipped out his pistol and began firing, his aim being only half-accurate as he already had something else to worry about. A few of his shots connected, and unlike the larger dog, they did some visible damage. Heart-racing, he careful aimed one last shot, hitting the dog square in the head. He didn't waste time patting himself on the back, he had one shot left in his current cartage and knew what he had to use it for. Swinging his arm around, he pointed the muzzle directly at the dog biting down on his Quasar Saber.

Before he could squeeze down on the trigger, his back hairs stood up on end. Goro knew what that meant.

Crashing down the broken window and tarnished steel exterior came a third dog, its maw open and claws out. This time, they dug into Goro like demonic hooks as his body flew sideways, his focus temporarily lost. The impact against the opposite wall hurt, but the feeling of being torn into by a wild animal hurt more. Pain flared through his body from two sides; instinctively, he blindly lashed out with his elbow feeling something connect. For a second, the pain dulled, then it came back twice as strong. There was more wild flailing about, but it didn't do any good as the larger hound and its companion were now tearing into him like a chew toy.

Everything hurt, worse than any physical agony he'd experienced prior. Goro didn't have to think hard as to why.

This was where his journey had led him, where he always knew things were going to end. Still, he was a little torn on rather or not getting torn apart by dogs was worse than a crowd of people cheering for his death. With the latter, he could have at least remained defiant to the end unlike here were all he could do was uselessly cover himself and blindly strike out in half-hearted hopes of survival. It was a pathetic but fitting end to a life such as his.

Something inside of him disagree.

Roaring in defiant fury, his struggles became fiercer, slightly surprising his attackers, who responded by biting down harder. The scent of blood filled nostrils. It was liquid fuel to some hidden machine inside of him. He fought harder, his laser blade flailing about and his free hand clenched into a fist that meaninglessly lashed out again and again.

 _ **BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!**_

One of the bodies mauling him went limp, the other backed off. His ears perked up at the sound of gunshots that apparently weren't aimed at him. Wide-eyed, he jerked to the direction they'd come from, his bloody mouth falling over at who his unlikely savior was.

Up until now, he'd never seen Jō's "business face", though he'd sometimes wondered what it looked like. As he stood across from him, his pistol held leveled at the attacks dogs, he got to see it. A straight frown that conveyed little to no emotion and cold eyes that could have frozen over a raging inferno. Briefly, they swerved to meet Goro's; they softened for a fraction of a second before hardening again. Blood lay splattered against his pants leg and shoulder; a thin red stream rolled down his left shoulder, from where he spotted a couple of claw-like markings.

Bearing its fangs, the large attack dog howled and began charging at the retired killer.

"Jō! Jō, you have to get away!" Yelled the teenager as he struggled to stand up in spite of his injuries. "You can't take that thing on head-on! It's not a normal dog!"

"I can see that; normal dogs go down in a single shot!" Shouted back the older male as he continued to fire upon the approaching beast. He didn't seem phased by the fact that none of his shots were doing any sort of damage. The man deserved credit for keeping his cool faced with such an oddity. Maybe because he had a plan. Jō's eyes flashed as the canine leaped at him with its paws stretched out. With great expertise he ducked while rolling forward; his right arm shot out, a knife held tight in his fingers. As he came out of his evasive roll Goro spotted several streaks of blood falling from the blade, which itself glowed with a bluish-silver light he recognized.

From across the capable car the two sides stared each other down. Humans and beasts, yet all sides bastards in every sense of the word.

"I gotta say, that's probably the biggest Belgian Malinois I've ever seen. Not even the finest breeders in the Navy could get them to grow that big." Goro don't bother to question how Jō knew the species, but it was a bit helpful to know what they were up against. "Shido has some deep pockets, eh? Then again, I know some people in the Navy who are into black marketing and contraband. Whoever sold those puppies must have gotten quite a paycheck in return.

Groaning as he sat up, the teenager decided not to dig too much into his senpai's statement. He already had enough to worry about. "If I had to guess, Shido's had them modified somehow. Make no mistake, he's got the resources and callousness to experiment on innocent animals."

"Wannabe dictators always have traits like that." Chuckled the old hitman. His brown eyes briefly swerved to the wounded teen then back to their canine foe. "As soon as I kill this thing, we're getting off this train and I'm giving you first-aid. No arguments."

His voice told Goro that if he tried to back-talk him it'd only end badly. While he had no intention of doing so, there was another reason. Once more, his back hairs stood on end. His ears perked up as they picked up the sound of metal being pounded against.

In spite of the pain, he jumped upward, his arms moving to reload his laser pistol then moving it toward the ceiling. He fired several shots, and in turn heard at least two feral shouts of pain confirming his fears. Across from them, the lead dog barked, a command to its packmates above the pair of humans.

 _Well, this is a fine mess I've gotten myself into! Let's see how I can get out of it!_ Snarled the old killer as he prepared his body for another go-round with the modified attack dog.

 _If I live through this, I don't think I'll be taking the subway for a while._ His enhanced senses served to give him some indication as to where the next attack was going to come from. All Goro could do was wait out the short seconds before hand.

The two assassins felt their backs press up against one another. Jō summoned all the strength in his body to hold back the dog snapping at his face and neck. Rolling off the jaws was the strong scent of blood, the blood of his kohai. Something inside of him ignited, giving him the extra push he needed to keep the canine at bay, much to its frustration as it tried in vain to overpower the old killer.

Based on the howls and cries of pain Goro could tell his shots were hitting something, they just weren't the killing blows he would have liked. For a splint second, the metal ceiling groaned, then it burst open in a shower of shrapnel and sparks as what came down was another attack dog, this one having arcs of bright-yellow lightning cackling between its fangs.

 _ **Oh joy,**_ Chuckled his monochrome-colored Persona. _**This one knows Thunder Fang! Hey, think the big one over there knows Super Fang? It certainly knows Crunch and Bite from the way it was digging into you earlier!**_

Holding down the urge to reprimand Loki, Goro waited until the perfect moment to attack. Flipping his pistol into a reverse grip, he swung it with all the force his wounded arm could muster; his free right arm reached back to grip his Quasar Saber. Seconds after hitting the sidewall it seemed the attack dog was getting back up to attack again. Following a swift stab through the stomach its body went deathly still, especially after the energy blade briefly enlarged itself at Goro's behest. Gnashing his teeth, he brought his blade upward, energy still surging into it from his body. What came out was an crescent-shaped burst of emerald energy that smashed through the roof of the train car.

Ignoring the aftermath, the rogue hitman spun around and leveled his left-hand pistol on what lay behind him-his Hangman mentor struggling to hold back a hound from hell. Getting a clear shot was difficult, too difficult, so he went for grazing shots. After several of them the dog yelped in pain giving Jō the window needed to hit back, a knee-strike to the belly followed by an outright kick.

With the beast shaken and away, Goro could finally get a clear shot, which was exactly what he set out to do.

Hatred and defiance flashed in the former Navy dog's eyes as it caught sight of the toy-pistol aimed at it. Its maw opened, this time it wasn't fire or lightning that came out of it, just soundwaves, pure bone-rattling sound.

 _The hell is this?! It's like I'm being tasered!_ Screamed Jō as he felt as if his entire body had been shackled and bound in place. For the first time in a long while, he felt something resembling fear seize his heart. A cold sweat ran down his forehead and arms. He immediately began fighting against the feeling with all of his might.

In a similar boast was the younger assassin, his mind racing at a hundred miles a minute. _T-This roar, i-it's some kind of fear-inducer!_

If dogs could have smiled than both males were sure that's exactly what the attack dog was doing. A single smile before it lunged at them intent on finally rending the humans to pieces.

 _Move! Move! MOVE!_

Pure willpower, it had been all the two bastards had had to rely on since they were young. It hadn't always been ideal, but it had gotten them through, time after time. Born into such cauldrons with little warmth they had no choice but to use the fires of their willpower and hatred to move them. Time after time, it had seen the young Persona-user and ex-gangster through. And it did so again.

Two bodies surged forward, slamming hard into that of the lunging dog, shocking it and its masters from behind its transmitter. On the other end, the signal went dark as operators and observers struggled to figure out what had happened. The answer was quite simple-Goro Akechi and Jō Shishido weren't ready to die yet, and most certainly not at the jaws of some genetically altered attack dog.

Said dog landed on its backside, disoriented and dazed as it struggled and flailed to turn about on its legs. Its would-be prey were intent on not giving the beast that opportunity. Their free arms went for the neck to hold it down while their other arms gripped their respective weapons tightly. Goro's laser blade burned with emerald light which contrasted to the red-stains on his formerly pure white uniform. Jō had switched out his combat knife for a new weapon, an improvement over his original. Rather than looking like some "run-of-the-mill" weapon, the machete showed signs of technological refinement. Blue Tron-lines ran up the length of the blade giving it a near futuristic appearance which nicely complimented its stylized handle. Hidden beneath his clenched fingers was a blue light that served as an indicator that the weapon was at full power.

But instead of the intended target Jō was forced to use it on another enemy, one coming from his and Goro's six o'clock. A furry-shaped spinning disc was held at bay by his blade. Jō gripped the weapon harder, commanding what power lay within to respond to him, it did. With a roar, he pushed the second dog back. Goro was forced to divert his attention as well. Coming bounding at him was a third dog, this one with enlarged jaws he knew would leave him and his companion seriously hurting if they sunk into them. Re-positioning his laser blade, he pointed the tip toward the approaching threat and called forth the supernatural power within him.

Within his ear came the demonic laughter of Loki, a phantasmal finger tracing the air before him. A shudder filled the train car seconds before Goro's laser blade extended several feet, no longer green and white but instead blood-red with green arcs jumping about. The earlier tactic of biting down on the blade to stop it no longer worked for the canines. In seconds the third dog was kabobbed, its body going deathly still as its internal organs were cooked by the supernatural heat of the elongated sword. Growling in his throat, Goro raised his weapon upward, completely splitting the dog in two as the laser blade traveled skyward, cutting a clean path through the metal ceiling.

Amidst the commotion, the lead dog managed to wiggle out of the hold of the two assassins. Jumping back, it snarled in fury at their attempts to kill it as well at the deaths of its packmates. It was the last straw.

Exploding from the lead dog was a mass of crimson flames that charged the air with malicious power. Needless to say, it caught the attention of both males. Goro's eyes went wider than Jō's as he knew what was coming, but they both could see it.

Rising behind the mortal dog was a monstrous dog, a canine demon bearing three heads.

"Is that what I think it is?" Snarled the veteran assassin bracing himself for what was likely going to be his last go-round.

Goro stepped forward. "Jō-san, stay behind me." Placing his hand to his face, the teen ran through his options, realizing there was only one, especially as he felt the energy build-up in his opponent. Three jaws filled with hot flames that would burn through his protective clothing and roast his and his companion like pigs. There was a brief huff before all three maws opened; fire exploded in every direction.

Jō felt his heart skip a beat seconds before everything went black. Though his instincts told him to keep his eyes on his opponent, they instead went to his unlikely kohai. Life turned surreal in that moment-his mind flashed back to a distant time. A woman with pitch-black hair and cold amber-colored eyes was staring him down, demanding for him to remove himself from her presence. He had every intention of doing so, but someone was holding his hand, keeping him in press.

" _He's my brother! Like hell I'm just going to abandon him!"_

Exploding toward him was a tidal wave of orange and yellow, stopping short thanks to a glass-like barrier that appeared seemingly from out of nowhere. Their path forward blocked, the flames rapidly extended in every other direction.

Eyes slammed shut, jaws clenched, and muscles tensed, and finally everything went black.

* * *

" _So they…called you a bastard dog, huh? Anything else?"_

 _She knew there was something else, something in particular. It was the reason why the young brown-haired boy couldn't meet his mother's eye. He couldn't bear to see his sorry state reflected in her tearful eyes. Equally so, she couldn't take seeing him looking so despondent. Arms reached out and pulled the child into a tight embrace. Tears slipped from the eyes of mother and son as they allowed their emotions to break free._

 _This wasn't the first time, and it surely wasn't going to be the last._

 _This was their fate, one they could not escape from._

 _Not in life at least. There was one escape from the ridicule and mockery they both endured._

 _Precisely three years from now she'd find that escape and seize it for herself leaving the boy alone to face the continued mockery alone._

" _Why…why did you leave me, mommy? Did you…did you really hate me that much?"_

The answer never came, and slowly the boy accepted that it probably never would. Then again, the answer might have always been there and he just didn't want to accept it. In the end, he supposed it didn't really matter; he'd come too far to turn back.

Besides, he also made a promise to her, a promise that he wouldn't give up until the end.

* * *

"-oro, Goro, come-on, kid. Just open your eyes for me." Came the distinct male voice from the edge of the abyss. "You've been through worse than this, right? So get your ass up, we've still got some things to do."

Quicker than he realized, the youth was fighting his way out of the darkness toward the light. Surprisingly, it wasn't that hard of a thing to do, maybe because the rogue himself was brimming with active energy that propelled him forward. Reaching out, he found the light and cracked open his eyes. Immediately, pain raked his body; he took it as a sign that he was still alive for if he were dead then he wouldn't have been feeling much of anything.

In the background fire crackled and smoke drifted across the sky. Slowly, memories drifted across his mind reminding him of what had happened. His canine foe had attempted a massive fire attack in such a confined space, the results had been…less than desirable for either party.

Groaning, he sat upright, at least partially acknowledging the sharp jolts of agony that shot through his body. He looked down and sighed in relief to find he had all four of his limbs, albeit banged up and bloodied from his previous ordeal.

"That didn't go as I expected." Admitted the brown-haired teen.

"Curiously, how exactly were you expecting things to go?" Questioned the older hitman with a raised eyebrow and humorous smirk. "You jump on a speeding train pursued by man-made hellhounds and…fight them off or become a human chew toy for them leaving the rest of us to do what? Mourn or drop everything and go risk you?"

"If you must know," he winced. "It was more of door number one, but things went…off the rails so to speak. You shouldn't have came after me."

"And you shouldn't have ran off on your own, but here we are. No use in complaining it now." He motioned to a nearby pillar just a few feet away. "Come on, I don't have a lot on me, but it may be enough to get you patched up so you can walk. I have no idea where we are or if the others can reach us, but something tells me we can't stay here."

Goro agreed with him, for more reasons than one.

A lone howl rose through the dark quiet of the crash site causing both hitmen to go still. Neither of them visible cursed or complained at the canine call, which was quickly answered by more. All they did was quietly steel themselves, rising to their feet with their weapons ready. Turning around, they stared at the twisted heap that was formerly a subway car, now little more than a hill of burning metal and shattered concrete with red lining. Standing at the top was the lead attack dog, and at its sides were new companions. All of their blood-colored eyes zeroed in on the two humans.

Blue flames surrounded the human teenager, red flames the lead dog. An archer rose up behind the former and a three-head hellhound behind the later. There was another howl, and then the battle began.

Robin Hood let loose four arrows, two of them hitting the manifesting Personas of the attack dogs while the others merely exploded on impact. Metal and debris were scattered in all directions, but all the combatants remained focus as ever. Through the smoke came three dogs, claws and jaws out.

Eyes cold as glaciers, Jō swung his machete while aiming his cut. In the blade's wake was a bluish-white trail that became spattered with red. His gun sounded shortly afterwards, each bullet sailing through the air and passing through flesh with sickening crunches. Still, the dogs got up and kept attacking. That was fine by Jō, he'd adjust to the speed of the dogs and was ready to counter attack when needed. After dodging a straight forward lung, another came at him with jaws cackling with electricity. It didn't bother him in the slightest for the end result of getting bit was the same if the dog was normal-pain.

 _ **SLISH!**_

He had to admit, he felt a ping of guilt at murdering the modified creatures. Many of these dogs were no doubt former service animals, having been trained and fought bravely for a flag and a country. Now they were down here, in this otherworldly hell being used up like pawns. It was sad, but no unexpected. The world was a cruel place, for man and beast alike.

Robin Hood stood strong against the three-headed hellhound that slammed into his energized bow. From a single glance he could tell this Cerberus was different, it was unnatural in every sense of the word. Shrugging off the beast's bite he stepped backward and notched three arrows, one for each head, and fired. Dark energy exploded from the three maws, meeting the arrows and exploding on contact. Amidst the clash Goro and the lead dog attacked one another, laser blade to fang and claw.

 _The world sure is full of surprises. Me, finding some kind of worthy opponent in a dog, a dog that for all I know is…just like me._ His feet slid across the blood-caked floor as he twisted his body around to parry the oncoming attack. Sparks of green and black erupted from the meeting of laser and teeth. Annoyed, the dog barked, shooting out several bullet-sized masses of dark energy. With refined grace, Goro dodged them all, his eyes never once leaving the lead dog who seemed to be looking for an opportunity to attack. He decided to give it one with a feint, a stylistic twirl best saved for a ballroom instead of a battlefield.

The dog took the bait, lunging at him with its altered fangs dripping with saliva.

His face twisted into a dark smile as he leveled his blade at the approaching set of jaws. They were in just the position he wanted. This beast would meet its end the same one as it previous packmate did.

Except that didn't happen.

Multiple arcs of lightning twisted around the dog's teeth, tripling in intensity as they clamped down upon his energy blade. From the collision came a storm of yellow and teal-colored sparks of electricity that nearly blinded Goro. His left hand immediately grew hot as the fantastical circuitry that made his laser blade operate began to come under siege. A second later and the circuitry burnt out causing the blade to vanish right before Goro's eyes.

"SHIT!"

He was sure that the dog was grinning, that was the only explanation for the dark chill running up his spine. Or maybe that was just the realization that he was screwed.

The residual electricity was drawn into the dog's jaws further strengthening its fangs. If the bite didn't kill Goro or knock him out then the shock certainly would. Internally, he braced himself for the pain that was to follow, and prayed he'd have enough strength left over for some sort of counter attack.

Out of nowhere it came, a white pillar coming down hard upon the attacking dog, driving it into the ground.

Heart racing, Goro glanced upward, surprise coloring his face as Robin Hood smiled back at him. The smile didn't last long as the caped Persona's mouth retched open in a scream as two sets of jaws clamped down on his back. Tendrils of darkness exploded from the wounds while crystal-like cracks rapidly began to spread across the archer's body. There was no need or time to despair for his Persona, Goro felt his agony as if it were his own; because it was. Dropping his malfunctioning hilt, he gripped at his shoulders, unable to physically grasp the phantom pain now eating away at him.

Then came the next attack. His ears heard the ground cracking, yet his body was too sluggish to react. What he ended up with was a pair of teeth digging into his ankle. Goro threw his head back in a scream in agony as the pain was now coming from two places.

He was helpless, nothing but a lamb waiting to be butchered.

Turning its gaze toward him, the lead dog looked ready t do just that. While its Persona bore down upon Robin Hood it readied itself to dig into his flesh.

From the corner of his eye came a flash of silver and gray, it struck the dog in the side, blade driven in deep and blood sipping from the wound. Immediately, its gaze went to the one who'd thrown the knife-the bloodied but smirking veteran who lay surrounded by a number of dog corpses.

"You gonna keep playing around with the pup, or do you want a real challenge, Fido?" Jō leered.

Muscles bulged, literally. It was amazing and horrifying to watch as the already enhanced dog grew stronger, its size enough that it resembled more a wild cat than a dog. The machete was expelled from the body. Eyes glowing red with anger, the dog charged at Jō, its body leaving the ground as it changed into a spiraling mass of teeth and claws that zipped over the concrete.

Jō was fast enough to avoid getting torn in half, but not without taking a glancing blow to the side. Blood flooded his clenched jaws as his fell onto his side, pain coloring his vision a multitude of colors.

The younger assassin tried to reach forward, but the dog biting down on his ankle merely tightened its grip. Any more and Goro worried if his foot would be torn off completely. Goro's own eyes dilated as he reached for his pistol and aimed it at the beast holding him down. Violent anger flashed in the dog's eyes, highlighted by the crimson flames that sprung up around its body. He squeezed down on the trigger, not caring if he emptied an entire clip into the dog so long as it eventually let go. It did, once its face was reduced to little more than an unrecognizable mess of charred flesh and bone.

From above him, Robin Hood bellowed in outrage, finally finding the strength to throw off the Cerberus that had been gnawing at his shoulder. The wounds remained, but his strength and will was unscathed. Shooting forth, he caught the approaching attack of another hellhound, its giant jaws snapping at him as he wrapped both hands around the artificial Persona's mouth.

 _ **SNAP!**_

Goro directed his attention toward the battle between his unlikely mentor and the lead dog. Jō was losing. Throwing aside dissolving Persona, Robin took aim with his re-summoned bow. At his summoner's command, he let the empowered arrow fly. It impacted the Cerberus Persona with a resounding thud that was followed by several more. Just as the dog and its wounded Persona turned its attention to the humanoid pair, the Archer of Sherwood let his final arrow fly, its tip glowing with power. Jō saw it coming and did his best to scramble out of the way.

 _ **Boom!**_

Chunks of concrete was thrown outward in all directions, body parts too. Jō instinctively covered his face while Goro did his best to stand, his eyes narrowed. Both he and Robin Hood knew that wasn't enough to bring the lead dog down.

They were proven right as the smoke cleared to reveal a bloodied, but still very-much standing dog. Now he and the runaway assassin were even.

Cerberus reared its head back, flames gathering around each of its three jaws. Robin Hood raised its bow, not a bow notched, but multiple white and violet-colored orbs of energy surrounding it. Goro's eyes and those of the Malinois met. Another moment of silent acknowledgement, then their respective Personas let loose with their attacks.

The three flames from the heads merged into a massive fireball that left a heated trail across the ground. It slammed hard into the multiple rays of divine energy, pushing against it like a dam attempting to hold back a flood. Flames of orange and white coloration shot outward leaving scorch marks on the ground and in the ceiling. Spider-web cracks spread along the ground, growing with each second as the two sides put all their remaining strength into their attacks. Gradually, rays of purple-lined light began to pierce the fireball, just as its flaming core flashed bright orange.

 _ **BOOM!**_

His vision was blinded from a mixture of the searing light and flying debris. It felt as if the entire level they were on shook from the bomb-like blast wrought from the two attacks. Goro was sure he could hear his own teeth and bones rattling. As they did so, he attempted to peer over his arm for any sign of Jō. Even if he was a veteran killer who'd danced with death before, this was likely a little beyond what he'd envisioned handling.

Smoke rose from the gigantic crater in the ground that had been where his attack had met the dog's. Speaking of the dog, it was gone from physical sight and mentally sight. Goro wanted to guess it had retreated having realized it couldn't win without sacrificing itself. If so, it was a smart tactic, one that should the beast's intelligence had risen along with its physical capabilities.

The ground of Mementos, usually looking like something out of a nightmare now resembled a battlefield. It was definitely something out of the ordinary as normal battles between Persona-users and Shadows didn't yield such destruction. Now, Persona-users battling each other, that was a different story.

"Jō! Jō! Jō!" Called the teenager again and again over the sea of wreckage that had once been a quiet albeit creepy subway tunnel. Panic began to grip his heart when the older man failed to answer his calls.

A pile of concrete and pipes groaned, then broke apart as a figure rose upward. "Shiiiit, that's definitely the hardest hit I've taken in a while! Hell, it was probably more intense than some of the fire fights I've been in!" Blood and dust matted his body. A red line trickled down his forehead onto his chin, its center being a rather nasty-looking gash atop his right-side forehead. He stumbled as he rose upward, attempting to dust himself off. "My little kohai, it looks like I underestimated you."

Goro laughed at his collapsed, the pain so great his body having seemingly gone numb. "After all that, all that you just witnessed, you're _still_ calling me your junior?"

Smiling as he shuffled over, Jō looked over the injuries the youth had accumulated during the battle. First and foremost was the bite wound on his ankle. That had to be taken care of first. "Hey, it was impressive, but I've been around and I've seen worse. This wasn't the first time I had to deal with trained attack dogs. Just the first time I've dealt with some that breathed fire and lightning, oh, and could turn into furry bullets. Honestly," He fell onto his butt alongside the winded teen. "It feels like I've been transported into one of Natsuo and Shuya's cartoon shows."

"The Metaverse tends to be like that-fantasy becoming reality, but some of reality's rules still applying, like death for instance." Coolly shot back the brown-haired assassin. "You shouldn't have come after me, you have people to look after." Goro said after a pause.

"You're right, I do; you're one of them." There was something oddly soothing about the way he smiled back at him. It was a small smile that told him no matter how much he argued he wasn't going to get anywhere in changing his mind. To Goro, it looked like a toned-down version of Natsuo's, proving the two did in fact share some relation to each other. "Those kids, your teammates, they're still so green, but I knew I could trust them to look after Natsuo and Shuya. You're the one that I worry about." Reaching out, he patted the Persona-user's head as if he were a child. "Hey, I was young too once. I told you, it took me a while to realize there were people who actually wanted me to keep living."

Chest tightening, Goro tried to look away. "You…really think after everything I've done anyone would want me coming back alive?"

"Well, me and my niece and my nephew certainly want you to stay alive for as long as possible." Chuckled the veteran. "Isn't that enough for you to at least make an effort to take care of yourself? Besides, when we met them, the Phantom Thieves seemed pretty relieved to see that you were alright."

"…Jō," began the seventeen-year-old with quivering shoulders. "T-T-Thank…thank you."

"Don't mention it, like I said, you're someone that I have to look after. I may be a killer, but I like to think I've learned a thing or two about looking after people. This…parenting thing…I've slowly understood why Saiji took it so well." He laughed as he stood up, offering Goro his hand. "Let's get some place more secure so I can treat you."

He was pretty sure he had at least one or two Personas who knew some healing spells. Once he regained enough strength, he could call upon them; but like Jō said, after they were some place secure. Quietly, he took the older man's hand. It was the first time he'd ever had to lean on someone else for support. They got almost ten steps before their ears buzzed with the sound of a car horn. Light illuminated the darkness of the tunnel. Goro felt Jō's muscles tighten until he whispered to him that it was alright.

"Hey, we finally…we…" Ann's words died in her mouth as it dropped open in shock, her pink-gloved hands rising up.

She was far from alone. As the others disembarked from Morgana's car form, they took stood still frozen in horror at the state of the two bastards. Some such as Haru and Futaba visibly stiffed as their eyes saw the countless cuts and wounds from which blood trickled down. They looked like they'd just been mauled by a wild animal, which they had been; except the animals weren't wild, they were trained to kill, just like them.

The only ones not totally shocked were Natsuo and Shuya, who showed visible relief at seeing the two of them alive in spite of their state. Tears were on the verge of slipping from the latter's eyes before he broke ranks and ran for his uncle, throwing his arms around him as tightly as possible. Jō responded accordingly, patting his head and apologizing for scaring the boy.

Ryuji was the first to verbally recover. "C-C-Crow…A-Akechi," he started with a shaken voice. "W-W-What…what happened to you?"

As usual, the odd one out was the girl with hair the color of flames. "What does it look like, Skull, they got into a dog fight."

"We won, sorta." Goro joked. It hurt to laugh, but he couldn't help himself.

Natsuo quietly smirked as she walked over to the two of them. Goro didn't miss the somewhat scared look Shuya shot his sister or the passive stare her uncle gave her. That was enough to put the pieces together. Her smile fell as she came within breathing space of him.

"You stupid asshole!"

Her punch hit him like a steel mallet, or maybe that was just his exhaustion making the punch harder than it really was. Personally, Goro was more willing to believe that Natsuo was simply stronger than she looked. With her, he'd learned looks could be quite deceiving.

Naturally, her sudden punch caught everyone off-guard.

"Hey! What the hell was that for?! Can't you see he's already had the shit kicked out of him!" Roared Ryuji roughly grabbing the elder Hashioka by the shoulder and spinning her around. "You-hey!"

With equal roughness Natsuo wrenched her shoulder free before moving onto Goro. The other Phantom Thieves began to step forward, their intent being to stop her if she sought further harm on the red-masked teen. They stopped as they watched her gently begin to look him over, her new behavior a startling contrast to her actions a second again.

"Geez, what kind of girl is that?" Whispered Morgana to the still shocked but recovering Joker.

"One that…" A sigh slipped past Akira's lips, which also twisted into a thin smile as he watched the scene. "One that cares about our Crow. Mona, think you can heal these two up?"

"Certainly! But, um…quick question. Crow, Jō…" Nervously, the blue-eyed feline motioning to the scene around them. In particularly the scattered bodies and blood stains; they made Morgana's hair stand up on end for more reasons than one. "What…what happened? What did you guys do?"

"Exactly like bird-nose said, we got into a dog fight, and sorta won." Jō replied with a wave of his hand. "Do him first."

"No, Mona, do Jō first. I'm fine, I've been through worse than this."

Both human and cat looked to him, as did the others. Just as Jō had looked to him with a look telling him there would be no arguing Goro did the exact same. Heaving sigh, he bowed his head in recognition. Seeing it, Mona decided to do as asked and tend to the retired assassin first. It wasn't like they were in active danger so he could take his time.

Try as he might, Goro couldn't bite back the small smile that formed on his lips as he felt Shuya's hand grip his. Through all the fighting his gloves had been torn exposing his raw skin beneath. It felt…good to feel a warm hand on his. A second pair fell atop his shoulders causing him to turn to his left. He was honestly surprised to find Natsuo's eyes twinkled with relief and sadness and relief. It was a surreal sight for him.

"Hey, Natsuo, do you know some first-aid?"

"Huh?"

The older Hashioka read the white-masked teen's eyes before responding. "What do you think?"

Akira mirrored her smile then turned to Goro.

"What are you doing?" He asked somewhat defensively. Shuya gave him a soft squeeze that calmed his nerves down.

"I'm helping out a teammate, and a friend. That's what friends do for each other." Coolly answered the black-haired teen. "Now, let me see your ankle. That looks like a pretty nasty bite."

"It's…" With his free hand, he reached for his mask, removing it to expose his sweat, dirt, and blood-covered face. Shadows had formed under his eyes. "I've had worse."

* * *

 _ **Location Unknown, 1:51 PM…**_

"What the hell was that?! Explain!"

Kenzaburō blew his last bubble of strawberry gum. "Akechi showing that he's stronger than you thought."

Simultaneously, all occupants in the command center, from the operators behind the computers to the guards stationed by the doors, tensed. Many of them could have sworn their hearts stopped beating then resumed at a frantic pace. Nearly all of them could collectively say they began sweating bullets. Truly, it was the calm before the storm.

Though his loyalties were obvious, Satoru prayed that his boss didn't push things. Not that he didn't have it in him, but theses clashes between leader and scientist ultimately resolved nothing. Not to mention they just helped create an already stressful working environment. One not eve he was exempt from.

Shido gnashed his teeth while a vein appeared atop his forehead. "What did you say? Dr. Kenzaburō, I believe you're starting to forget your place, or rather you're showing you don't deserve it."

"Really? Then do please, inform me of another person who can tap into the powers of the Metaverse, nay, the Collective Unconsciousness in a way that's somewhat cost-efficient and manageable. Take captured Shadows and condense them into Personas usable by the common man and even funnel them into machines that can operate in another dimension that does not follow the laws of physics. Speaking of said dimension, who else can tap that dimension's power and exploit it to one's will?" Swallowing his gum, the former SEBAC employee returned the bald-headed man's death glare with a defiant glare of his own. "Shido-san, I'm afraid my original analysis was right. Goro Akechi is indeed a golden egg, one worth more than the half-breed sparrows and chickens I've been breeding over the last three months."

Seeing him ready to physically lash out, Satoru chose that moment to intervene. "Prep my team! I'll send them in and have them eliminate the Phantom Thieves and recover Akechi!"

"No!" Barked Shido with a voice that nearly shook the entire room. "Instead, send in the Automata unit, now!"

That Kenzaburō hadn't been expecting as evident by his raised eyebrow. "Oh, not trusting human hands, are you?"

"Consider it a field test." Shido grounded out. "Besides, I don't know if you're aware, but we have other threats that are needing to be dealt with."

"Yes, I'm aware." Muttered the bright-eyed researcher before he began to dig into his pocket. "You know, I could always have gone to work for-"

"So help me, if you're leaking information than I swear I shall-"

"Execute me? Seems a bit…imperial don't you think?" He cracked. "Hm, which one should I pick, mint, blueberry, or grape?"

If Shido's vein grew anymore there was a good chance it would burst. Truthfully, there were some in the command center that would have loved to have seen that happen. To them, this job was merely a paycheck and nothing more.

"B-But I thought that the Automata were still in the testing stage." Satoru muttered.

"Not all of them, in fact, the first line has been successfully rolled out and are ready for combat." Clarified the metaphysics researcher. He finally chose grape. "I'll admit, I'm interested to see how well they perform against the Phantom Thieves, they've proven to be quite formidable."

"Or perhaps your little mutts aren't worth the money and time that was spent developing them." Sniped the glasses-wearing politician. "All but one of them were killed by a brat and some no-name, worse, the last one outright ran away!"

"Actually, I'd say the chief unit showed surprisingly efficient tact in withdrawing a from a bad situation. Wouldn't you agree, Satoru?"

The police commissioner felt his blood freeze as he was the one addressed. Most of the eyes in the room swept his way, most of them pitying but some just eager to see how he'd react. Shido's glare told him he'd have hell to pay if he didn't say the right words, in other words, agree with his position.

"Ahem, yo! Mind if I throw my two cents into this conversation?"

Being saved by a man whose guts he hated almost as much as he hated seafood, Satoru would have laughed at the irony if his muscles weren't so teased up.

While he breathed an internal sigh of relief Shido turned to the monitor showing the com line. "Unless you have something useful to report then I don't give a damn."

Terashima chuckled. "Ah, then I guess you don't wanna hear the plan I cooked up for banging our little runaway and his merry band of pipsqueaks."

The attention of the three was caught, Shido's more so than the others. Having read his final, Satoru knew exactly what to expect from the yakuza hitman. Kenzaburō simply looked at him and knew what sort of man he was, dangerous and unhinged, but quite efficient when required. Unfortunately, such traits were at odds with Shido's most desired traits in his henchmen. Much like the good doctor, he'd been able to get away with them by being useful, in times such as now for instance.

Unlike Kenzaburō though, Terashima knew he was working on a short leash. It would end as soon as his prey was caught and turned over.

Shido relented. "Speak."

On the other end, one could practically see and hear Terashima grinning.

* * *

 _ **Mementos, 2:09 PM…**_

"They're real, holy cow they're actually real!" Shouted Futaba as she examined the plastic gun and accessories that had been presented to her. "How'd you get a hold of them?! They're not supposed to hit the market for almost another month!"

Shuya shrugged, a thin smile tugging on his lips. "Oh, I know some people who know some people. I do come from a crime family, ya' know."

Akira felt his blood turn to ice as he braced himself for what was surely to follow. "Joker! We have a new mission!"

"I see you've…blessed with looking after one as well, aren't you?" Jō mused as the younger male's face became a crooked smile.

"The shop that you got that toy from, don't suppose you're willing to tell me where it is, or how much money I can expect to blow through, are you?"

While somewhat difficult, they'd tried to put as much distance between themselves and the wreckage as they could. No doubt Shadows were more than likely swarming about the area. As for the remains of the attack dogs, well, neither the Phantom Thieves nor the Hashiokas tried to think too hard about it. Some things were better left unthought of and spoken of.

While the last of Goro's wounds were tended to the leaders of the group had sat down to chart out their next plan of action. In other words, how to deal with the "jammer" that was keeping them from exiting the Metaverse. Over the course of said planning Shuya had chosen to take the time to examine his own items. Namely the "pee-shorter" as Natsuo referred to it. The minute her eyes fell upon the model gun Futaba removed her goggles and grabbed at it. To her surprise, and those of onlookers, Shuya had been faster. Intrigued by their conversation Yusuke had naturally joined in, his eyes gliding over the pieces of plastic and metal as if they were masterfully crafted sculptures.

"I still can't believe you're that big a nerd." Chuckled Ryuji watching the two continue to exchange stories and marvel over the toy. "I mean, you seriously chose to go pick up a toy gun over meeting with us? Dude, that's kinda hurtful."

"I actually think it's kinda cute, it shows your softer side." Giggled Makoto causing Goro's face to continue to darken. "Sis did say even when you were on duty you tended to get distracted by 'kid stuff'."

"Well, everyone needs a hobby." Grumbled the white-clothed Persona-user while Haru continued to giggle beside him. It felt uncomfortable having her so close, but he simply couldn't find it in himself to ask her to move away. "B-B-Besides, I-I owed Shuya that much."

"Or you just wanted to spend more time with him." Ann pressed with a smile. "Who knew you were such a big 'ole softie underneath all that smugness!"

"If you want to talk about soft, just look at Skull. He's the one who refuses to curse at every turn." Retorted the brown-haired teen.

"Gah! It's my mom! I did it once in front her and I just…I haven't broken the habit, alright!"

"Hm, that sounds like another thing you and Goro have in common." Snickered Natsuo. "You're both momma's boys."

Such a well-placed strike, and it hit right home.

"I am not!" Both the white and black clad teens shouted with steam practically coming out of their ears.

"You both just confirmed her statement." Offered Makoto doing her best not to laugh too loudly. "Besides, it's not like that's such a bad thing, you know."

"Plus, it gives you two something to bond over." Added Haru.

Registering her words, the oppositely-colored teens snapped to one another. It finally dawned on them they'd spoken in perfect unison, doing as Makoto said in confirming Natsuo's statement. Their faces immediately screwed up and they looked away, silently grumbling like school children.

"I'd say you've done pretty well for yourself." Jō whispered to Akira.

"Yeah, well, we've still got a ways' to go before we're out of the clear. Oracle, Shuya, are you guys ready?"

"Yeah, we're-" One second, she was looking to him with eyes still brimming with excitement. The next they were ringed with alarm. "EVERYONE, DOWN!" Grabbing Shuya, she summoned Prometheus, the flaming sphere materializing around them while Yusuke grabbed his katana and made ready. Within her Persona, Futaba lightning-typed to bring up a protective barrier around the group.

Seconds later and they learned why it was needed-the literal hailstorm of bullets that slammed into it served to explain her alarm. Cursing alongside Ryuji and Ann, Morgana ran forward, Zorro appearing behind him. With a wide swing came an emerald-green gale that split through the barrier, and the bullets coming their way.

It did little to stop the rockets and missiles coming toward them though.

Hands went to faces, masks vanished and from a torrent of azure flames came various supernatural entities who set upon dispatching the gunfire.

"Great, now what the hell is it we're up against!" Cried Ann readying her whip.

For an answer, they got a series of red eyes staring at them from beyond the darkness.

"They're not human, hell they're not even organic!" Called Futaba. "They're-"

Flames illuminated the darkness, it moved fast. Eyes widened as they caught sight of a giant metal object moving across the ground, its feet skidding across the concrete creating sparks. Guns opened fire but it did little good against the reinforced armor that covered the object's body. Yusuke saw its line of attack coming and moved to intercept, or would have if he didn't feel his sixth sense alerting him to another danger. Twisting to his left, his blade met that of another. Through his mask, the painter stared back into a single red eye, a cybernetic optic that belonged to something that clearly wasn't human.

 _ **KLA-ANG!**_

"AAHHHH!"

Prometheus flew backwards as if it were a football that had just been kicked. So great was the force of the attack that the Persona failed to hold itself together, or rather its summoner couldn't keep it held together. Futaba skidded across the ground, screaming in discomfort as it felt like her entire body had just been hit. Shuya rolled across the ground as well, his toy blaster and sketchpad spread out around him. He too was groaning in discomfort.

"Hiya, squirts! Mind playing with me for a while!"

Goro's heart thundered against his chest as he recognized the voice of his nemesis. Not missing a beat, he ran forward, his repaired laser blade active and cackling with power.

Terashima spotted him coming and jumped from the shoulder of the eight-foot mecha that he'd been riding. His cleaver-sized hummed with red energy before he swung it downward.

Instead of one strike came three, each one over twenty feet in height. They cleaved across the ground as they traveled, forcing some to get out of the way. Not Goro though, he raised his sword and struggled against the attack with all his might, desperate to break through it.

Jō dashed for the formerly imprisoned gangster, every instinct in his body telling him to get to him before he could enact his plan. Unfortunately for him, he was blindsided by a blast of wind that lifted him off the ground and dropped him onto his backside. Disoriented, he had only a second to catch the silver flash of a blade before it came down toward him. Instinctively, he snapped his head to the left, resulting in a blood gash instead of a skewered skull. His left hand reached to his side for his pistol, a moment later and he was unloading it on the metallic humanoid above him.

As the rest of the teens contended with the metallic entities descending upon them, Terashima turned his attention to the downed youngsters. Futaba was still struggling to recover while Shuya was already on his feet. The sword-user grinned upon laying eyes on the boy.

"Hey, kiddo, I was wonder if I could borrow you for a second! Don't worry, I'm not one of those sick bastards who enjoys messing with kids, I just need you for something." He laughed as he began walking toward the fourteen-year-old.

Fear paralyzed the youth's body, and rightfully so.

Miraculously, not Futaba. In such a situation like this she normally would have been shaking in her boots. Instead, she was fighting like hell to rise and move between the green-eyed boy and the approaching gangster. "Get the hell away from him, you, you…you…you asshole!"

Terashima actually stopped, surprised that the navigator had worked up the nerve to speak, much less attempt to oppose him. He was amazed by it, and showed it by pulling out his firearm of choice, a heavy-looking revolver.

 _ **Bang!**_

"GAAAH!" Howled the orange-haired hacker covering her eyes. With her sight obscured all her other senses were thrown into complete disarray leaving her helpless.

And Shuya as well.

"SHUYA!" Screeched Natsuo kicking away the robotic humanoid she had been wrestling with. Her foot hurt from the kick, but the sight of her little brother under threat gave her the strength to power past it. "SHUYA!" She broke into a full-on sprint across the battlefield, her heart thundering in her chest.

Red eyes flashed, the giant mecha turned to face the sprinting teenager, its left arm, a tank-like cannon, taking aim. It didn't detour her, even as the muzzle flashed bright orange.

"Anat! Block it!"

A silvery-white bolt of pulsating nuclear energy against one artillery shell. The resulting blast was like a firebomb being dropped. Natsuo was thrown back off her feet, her entire body aching and blood sipping through her lips once she hit the ground. A second Freidyne shot flew across the air and impacted the mecha, temporarily crippling it.

"Hm, you kids are pretty tough, not bad. Still, you'll have to do better." Noted Terashima as Shuya kicked and struggled against his grip on his throat.

"Then how's about this!" Shouted Ann as she sent both of Hecate's dog-mounted chains at the gangster while she ran in close, her eyes burning with fury at his recent actions.

Again, Terashima grinned as he cocked his rifle. Above him manifested the armor-armed Flamma, who slammed into Hecate with a full-body tackle that sent the Lovers-aligned Persona skidding backwards. As for Terashima himself, his smile turned malicious as he suddenly threw the still-struggling Shuya directly toward Ann, who stumbled mid-stride to open her arms. She managed to catch him, only to stumble backwards in doing so. Still smiling, the leather jacket-wearing hitman dashed forward, going into a sliding kick that knocked the pigtailed blonde off her feet. Within the second pushed himself upward using his hands, one of them grabbing for Shuya once he was upright. Snickering, he raised his right foot then brought it down atop Ann's exposed left side.

"AARGH!" Cried the quarter-white girl feeling the full force of the attack. As with Futaba's cry, it went wide being heard by all the Phantom Thieves. One in particular.

"ANN!" More than seeing Futaba injured or Shuya captured, it was Ann being assaulted that turned something in Ryuji. Red-faced behind his mask, he charged forward, his club raised high and cackling with electricity curtsy of his Persona.

Terashima tucked away his pistol and picked his sword back up. "Ann, huh? Cute name, seems you're a devoted boyfriend, eh, skull-face! Hell Fang!" Red and black energy coated the cleaver-like blade as it was swung forth, meeting the _kanabō_ a clash that caused the ground to crack from the pressure.

As empowering as Ryuji's rage was, his strength still lagged behind Terashima's, who also possessed the tact to still think properly. He'd leveled his weapon causing most of the energy to be diverted upward. From there, the older man twirled behind the enraged teen, still gripping the flailing middle-schooler.

"Skull, behind-"

The warning came too late as Terashima's leg slammed smack into Ryuji's backside. Even with the metal spine-like armor the boy still felt a good chunk of the impact and stumbled forward. Terashima's blade turned from red to light blue before he brought it down, its empowered edge cutting deeply into Ryuji's right shoulder causing him to nearly drop his weapon.

"Skull! Panther!" Yelled Akira seeing his two closest allies go down. With a quick slash he decapitated the mechanical enemy before he and dashed toward the sight of the beat down. Across from him Goro was doing the same, cutting through whatever got in his way.

Their warpath came to a stop as the giant mecha from before stood before them, its left arm scorched from Makoto's earlier attack. Its right hand, a block-like fist slammed into the ground releasing a tremor that knocked both boys off their feet and into their faces. As the pilot in the cockpit began to grin in delight, his alarms blared causing him to jerk hard on the controls. Suddenly, metal was frozen over by whitish-blue ice. A blue and white figure scrambled up the mecha, a silver blade gleaming in its hands. Standing at the top, above hexagon-shaped cockpit stood Yusuke, his eyes blazing with cold fury. Manifesting above him was Kamu Susano-o, equally enraged. Both warriors brought their blades down stabbing deep into the metal. Ice quickly began to spread across the mecha's still frame.

Akira and Goro rose, their attention not on the steel giant that had shown up seemingly from out of nowhere but on the man still holding the struggling Shuya.

"You want the kid back, come and get him!" Terashima shouted as he jumped onto a massive steel bird vaguely resembling a drone. "Akechi, don't keep me waiting!"

They tried to stop him, shouted and firing, but it was no good. Whatever the drone bird was, it was fast, incredibly fast and agile. Further deterring their efforts were the periodic shots from Terashima's revolver, each one sharp as thundercracks.

Sparks fizzled from the downed robots that now littered the area while ice continued to crack and form along the lone mecha that still remained behind.

"What…what just happened?" Cried Futaba as she finally managed to sit upright though dust remained in her eyes. Not helping were her own tears steadily streaming down her cheeks. "Shuya? Where's Shuya?"

Groans of pain answered her. Dashing through the wreckage was Akira, fearful that permanent harm had been done to his adoptive little sister. Likewise, Morgana dashed for Ann, who was clenching her sides in pain; she seemed more concerned for Ryuji, who sat upright cradling his wounded shoulder. Curses rolled off his lips nonstop. He wasn't the only one.

Jō's while body shook with anger, yet he did not move or speak. His eyes swerved to the frozen hunk of metal across from him. He suddenly moved, his fists gripping his machete so tight that his knuckles were turning white.

What flew past him was a mass of black lined with white, so fast and brief that he briefly thought he'd imagined it. But then Jō felt it, the blood-curdling chill that told him something unimaginable dangerous was behind him. The black and white object slammed into the frozen mecha, wrenching the cockpit open then dragging out the shocked pilot. Grabbed by the face, he was raised into the air by the malicious entity, and then brutally slammed onto the ground, backside-first.

He had little time to groan in discomfort, "GAAGGARRRHH!"

There was nothing quite like having two knives driven point-first through one's palms. Their intrusion was sudden, but the pain they brought with them lingered. Brown eyes shot open and blood trickled down his lips. While his legs would have normally kicked up a pair of firm hands stopped them from moving furthering the torment. Wide-eyed, the pilot tried to look around to make sense of the situation. Below him stood two masked teenage girls, their faces quietly brimming with anger. To his left stood a man who made the two girls look like innocent kittens. The pilot immediately began to sweat, he turned his attention elsewhere.

He shouldn't have looked ahead, for what was ahead of him lay a demon. A body coated in crimson flames lined with black and white, with a dark metal beak extending outwards and a pair of eyeholes from which blood-colored eyes glared down at him. Behind the demon rose another, a dark figure whose mouth was lined with ruby-colored canines that twisted into a feral smirk. It was hard to tell which was worse, the little demon whose face simmered with tranquil anger like the other two, or the horned monstrosity whose grin told the pilot that death would be nothing but a sweet release he wasn't going to be getting.

Somehow, it got worse. A rough hand jerked the man's head to the right. He thought the previous beings were fearsome, compared to the fifth, they were nothing. Illuminated by the flames from the bird-demon, the fourth girl's hair seemingly crackled like fire. Flaming strands appeared to levitate right before his eyes. Blood had from the cuts on her forehead had leaked into her eye, turning the sclera crimson. It made for a nice contrast as the emerald pupils of the she-demon were burning with malevolent hatred. Unlike the first three this one wasn't even trying to hold back her ire. It was up front, and ready to completely burn him alive.

A tight hand gripped the man's throat, its strength rivaling that of an industrial crusher. Air became scarier with every second. With a jerk, the pilot was forced to face the she-demon eye-to-eye. He so severely wished he didn't have to.

"Where. Is. My. Brother?" Seethed the flame-haired demoness with a voice lined with venom.

In-between the man's legs, a dark stain began to spread across his loins.

* * *

 **Pretty interesting place to leave things, huh? This chapter obvious shook things up a bit, which was the plan from the start. What wasn't in my plan was for Goro and Jō's battle with the dog-squad to take up almost three-quarters of the chapter. Once I started writing I sorta of just kept on going from there and couldn't stop myself. Still, it was enjoyable writing a man versus beast brawl with both sides drawing blood in their own special way.**

 **On the subject of drawing blood, I'm sure some of you are now probably howling for Terashima's head after what he did to Futaba and likely Ann, and maybe Ryuji. Well, he's a hitman like Jō and Goro, but unlike them, he does what he does because he LIKES IT so what can you expect. During my original planning he was supposed to come crashing through the ceiling, but I decided on something a tad more conventional such as him riding in on a mech, grabbing his target, then bugging out. I'm hoping his little skirmish with the team told you all that you needed to know, he's the real deal when it comes to fighting. See, I've always been a fan of what I call "dirty victories", that is, fights when the heroes GET THE ABSOLUTE CRAP beaten out of them and even if they win, they walk away either bloodied or limping. To me it drives home how much of a struggle they had to go through to achieve whatever win they could.**

 **EVERYONE in this story, even fan-favorites such as Futaba are going to be eating some dirt, figuratively and literally. That includes the villains as well. Yes, that is going to include some characters being maimed and traumatized.**

 **Regarding the mech and robots, I will say this, Persona has devolved into robotic enemies before. Yes, Persona 2 which had the Longinus robots and the X series. In case you haven't noticed by now, a lot of this story is drawing from the first two games which had some interesting plot material. As Shido has full access to some of that material, he's bringing as much of it as he can to deal with the PTs.**

 **Next chapter should be out in a week or two if I'm lucky. Until then, leave your thoughts in the comments!**


	22. Chapter 21-Back to Black

**Here we are at chapter twenty-one, again, pretty much on schedule with what I had planned. I'd like to think everyone who's taken an interest in this story so far. In particular, I'm happy that the Hashiokas have grown on some of you and Terashima made his mark as a villain! Without further ado, onto the next chapter of this little adventure!**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 21-Back to Black**

Mokichi Hiraide thought that once he left the Self-Defense Force his best days were behind him. Then he was given the chance of a lifetime. He'd never been into politics, and even less into criminal activities, but he was a man who was hungry for action, so he'd accepted the offer to become a test pilot for Silver Scale Robotics. Giant robots, what could have been cooler than that? At first, it'd been a pretty good decision, even when he learned that apparently ghosts and fairies were real, but they were also _killable_. That made him feel comfortable and safe in knowing that he was working for an organization that had the capability to not only harness the power of the supernatural, but slay it if necessary.

He'd so arrogantly forgotten that man was the most dangerous thing on the planet. Man and woman, to be precise.

By his count, he was staring down five males and five females and a cat. Most of them were teenagers who looked like they'd missed out on a cosplay convention, but Mokichi knew better than that, he'd seen them summon their power, their Personas. They'd wailed on his machine like it was a punching bag, eventually bringing it down. All of them carried weapons, firearms and melee weapons that his gut told him they knew how to use. But they weren't what scared him. What terrified him was the one who _didn't_ possess any sort of powers, the girl with hair the color of flames. Eyes that would have normally been enchanting green now burned with a near genocidal hatred.

Hatred for him.

Mokichi kept his attention on the girl, in the process, failing to answer her question.

The butt of the pistol she'd been holding smacked against his cheek so hard that he could have sworn he felt some teeth loosen. "Y-Y-You little bitch! When get out-aarrghh!" Just as the butt of the pistol came down hard, so too did the foot of one of his captors. It fell like a hammer, ruthlessly crushing the muscles and bones in his left forearm. Mokichi arched his back upward, suddenly being reminded of the fact that his hands had knives driven so deep into them that they'd nailed him to the ground. Through the haze of pain, the full weight of his situation revealed itself-he'd been captured. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he cursed the man who he'd been put under, Sanyu Terashima; he must have planned this. Grab the brat of the bunch then leave him behind. Mokichi could only curse himself for not seeing the plan sooner.

Another figure came into his line of sight, the only adult of the group. As gently as he could, he pushed aside the furious flame-haired girl. His gaze was no less hostile, only more focused, which made it all the more terrifying to behold. "I'll make this quick, that boy your associate just kidnapped was my _nephew, her_ little brother." He added jabbing a thumb at the flame-haired girl. "And _his_ friend." The bearded man spoke directing his attention to the red-masked male. Though the dark aura from before had slackened, it had yet to fade. It was like a cloud of darkness that hung to his skin, blackening his white and gold-lined uniform. Without a doubt, he was the most threatening of the assembled teenagers. "Tell us what we want to know and you have our word we'll leave you in walking condition."

Fear lacing his voice, Mokichi spoke up. "A-A-A-And w-w-what is that?"

Flame-hair was at his right, and she was still pissed off. "Where the hell is my brother?" No sooner had the words left her mouth did her foot come down, directly atop his right wrist. She barely blinked an eye at his resulting howl of agony. "You want to keep either arm, start talking! Now!"

"I'd do what she says, as you can imagine, we're not exactly in a forgiving mood." Managing to turn his head, he glanced upward to find another female knelling over him. Unlike the previous batch, this one was…calmer, if only by a slight margin. She was dressed like some sort of European adventurer complete with a feathered hat and a grenade belt. "Please, for you sake, answer your questions and you won't have to suffer."

"Little late for that." Barked the green-eyed girl.

Another teenager came into view, this one dressed in a skin-tight biker-suit. He'd previously seen her throwing punches with spiked bracers and gauntlets, and hurling nuclear fireballs at him. Now that he was out of his mech, he didn't like his odds of beating her. "First question, who the hell are you people? Where did you get this equipment? How much about the Metaverse do you know?"

"L-L-Look, I-I'm just a grunt! I-I don't know much!" His military training should have helped him keep a cool head, but it wasn't. Instead, he felt like he was standing before a pack of lions, all merely deciding amongst themselves who was going to take the first bite out of him. It was humiliating, but his fear was overpowering any sense of pride he tried to hang onto. "Eah!"

To his right was an axe blade, and to his left was a laser blade that was lightly warming the hairs on his face. All it would take was a second for that warming to turn into outright incineration.

"Then tell us what you do know. Now. We're low on time and so are you." Fearful, he looked up into the blood-red eyes of the bird-masked teen. It truly was like staring into the eyes of a predator simply waiting to pounce. "We know that you work for Shido, the man likely to become the next Prime Minister. We know that he's funding all of this. What we want to know is _what_ that is?"

Mokichi knew he was talking about the mech. He couldn't see it, but he could hear the voices of the others already examining it. "A next-generation war machine, developed by the east Asian branch of Silver Scale Robotics."

"S-S-Silver Scale? Y-You mean the big tech industry?!" Cried another female voice. It was the…hacker, or whatever she was. "Shido's got them in his pocket?"

"Though he hates him, the east Asian branch's head, Tadasu Koide, is allied with Shido." Spat the brown-haired teen before back to Mokichi. "I'm assuming the public doesn't know that Silver Scale's made the jump from TVs, computers, and refrigerators to fighting robots?"

"No shit, you think the public would be all for the military basically rearming itself!"

The female with the iron-masked went wide-eyed. "What do you mean the military rearming itself? Don't…don't tell me they're involved in this too!"

"Of course they're involved in this! You brats, don't you know anything? Since the end of the Pacific War there's been a faction clamoring for us to return to having a proper military, a _real_ military! How else are we supposed to become a major power again! How else are we supposed to defend against threatens like that fat turd in North Korea!?"

"Alright, now you're giving him too much credit. That idiot's more likely to blow his country sky-high then he is at nailing us." Snorted the older man. "I guess it's thinking like that which Shido used to lure his flunkies in, that is when money and false promises didn't do the job."

"This mech, how many of them are there?" Snapped the iron-masked teen.

Mokichi managed to keep the sarcasm out of his voice, barely. "More than you could imagine. Unless you kids are willing to commit serial arson and have access to military-grade explosives and intel, you're shit out of luck."

"Saito Esaki." The pilot flinched, which was the exact intention of the bird-masked male. "Ah, so I was right. Rear Admiral of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, Saito Esaki, twin brother of Satoru Esaki, commissioner of the Tokyo Metropolitan police force." Briefly, he turned his attention away from Mokichi to his compatriots. "See what I mean about what we're up against? This goes all the way to the top."

The supposed leader, a youth with curly black hair and a white mask snorted. "You think this is going to stop us? If anything, it just means we have to go all the deeper. Now then, as for you,"

Flinching, he braced himself for another round of pain; sure enough, it came. The flame-haired girl had her hand on one of the knives keeping his pinned to the ground. She was twisting it now, playing with it. "I'm going to ask this again, and I want a damn answer-where's my brother?"

Rather than immediately answer, he looked between all of his captors. None of them were in a pleasant mood, which he could hardly blame them for. Spilling his guts was likely the only option he had.

His train of thought was suddenly interrupted as the knives in his palms were removed without any sort of warning. Normally, that was the moment he would have sprang up and attacked, but his body was still too sore for that. Not to mention the second they were removed a firm hand had him by the throat. The next thing he knew, he was being lifted off his feet. Frantic, he looked around, only to stop as his frightened eyes met the cold yellow of a Persona. Looking the supernatural entity over, Mokichi was reminded of the western comics he used to read in his downtime.

In spite of the being's white, blue, and golden coloring, a darker hero was coming to mind.

"I'll get us some answers. In the meantime, Mona, tend to Natsuo's injuries and make sure Oracle doesn't suffer any permanent damage." Red-beak was speaking now, and walking away. For a teenager, he was acting remarkable casual about this whole thing, perhaps too casual. Almost like he'd done this before.

"Hey! Hey! Where the hell do you think you're going?!" Shouted flame-hair. She was stumbling, her earlier injuries clearly having taken their toll on her. Pure emotion was keeping her going.

"I'm getting your brother back." Red-beak answered in a near sorrowful tone. Mokichi was sensing that there was a story behind all of this.

"Then let-"

"I got you into this mess! My mess! So just shut up and let me try to do at least one good thing in my life, alright!"

It was amazing how he could talk her down, yet still find the concentration needed to maintain his Persona. Or maybe not. Mokichi glanced at the spectral entity holding him by the neck. He knew what he saw, emotion, empathy, and dare he say it, a flicker of pride, on the blue-caped Persona's face. It seemed as if the entity was less an extension of its summoner and more a thinking creature with its own thoughts and feelings. At the moment, it was looking like some sort of older brother watching their younger sibling settle a dispute.

Flame-hair, Natsuo apparently, stood resolute against bird nose's gaze. She was the stubborn type, the kind that didn't let anything stop her from doing what she wanted to do, or protecting what she valued. Her mouth opened in preparation for a come-back.

"What Crow means is, _our_ problem. We got you all wrapped up in this mess, so let us fix it. Natsuo," Clearly he was the leader, being the most level-headed of the bunch, as well as the one making assurances. "Jō, you have our word. We _will_ get Shuya back." His eyes first went to the adult male, then bird-nose. Mokichi would have made a smart crack about it if he wasn't aware of the undeniable fact these people held his life in their hands.

Barely a minute later and he was being pulled away from the main group, into the darkness. Mokichi could hear his blood pounding in his ear like a massive drumbeat. It reached its climax as he was heaved upward, then thrown across the ground, rolling like a football. Needless to say, Mokichi was wishing he hadn't shown up for work this morning. If he had known what awaited him he would have called in sick, or kept his mouth shut and had someone else agree to Terashima's crazy plan.

"Since we're running short on time, I'm going to do this in the most direct way possible. This will hurt, but hopefully a few trips to the therapist will clean it up. Or not, personally, I don't care either way."

Just as he was able to raise his head to speak, the sight before him silenced Mokichi. Cold fear gripped his entire body. What stared back at him wasn't a prince-like figure, but a dark knight with a bird-like helmet from which two red eyes stared back at him. Dancing around him was a myriad of crimson flames. From the flaming tendrils rose a figure, tall and hunchbacked with a monochromatic body. A pair of horns stretched out from where the eyes should have been; lips pulled back in a toothy grin revealing a row of bestial teeth that were all blood-red at the tips. Though the entity had no eyes, Mokichi could feel it looking at him, and he could see it smiling at him.

Mokichi Hiraide opened his mouth to scream, but the horned demon was faster. The back of his skull head the blood-caked pavement. In his ears, unholy laughter echoed like thunder in a storm.

 _ **Now then, let's see what we can find in that head of yours. Don't worry, I'll be gentle. Hehehe…hahahahahahaha!**_

Less than a minute later and the screaming started. In the depths of Mementos, a realm born from humanity's subconscious thoughts and vices, it was little more than a small drop in a scarlet ocean.

* * *

 _ **2:40 PM…**_

All things taken into account, Shuya liked to think he was holding himself together well. At the very least he hadn't done something immensely embarrassing like peeing in his pants or crying for mercy. He knew better than that, if he did either of those things than his life was as good as over. Not to mention he'd never be able to face his family ever again.

"What in the hell? Really, that's what your big plan was? I should have known better." Sneered the gunman that first approached Terashima. His leafy-green eyes heavily contrasted to Shuya's own, in more ways than one. They cackled with annoyance as his gaze went from Terashima down to him. Shuya knew that the man saw him as nothing but a bug to be squashed. "I'm not going to beat around the bush here." His hand went to his side then came back up with a pistol pointed directly at him. "Anything funny and I'm starting with the legs, push your luck and I'll start working my way up."

"Geez, shooting a kid, you don't have any chill, do ya'?" Sneered Terashima suddenly jerking the boy back.

"So says the guy who took this little brat hostage. Chain him up, the rest of you, keep an eye on him! He makes one move out of the ordinary and do what you have to!" Barked the redheaded gunman to the other gangsters.

Shuya remained perfectly still as he was handcuffed and placed against a pillar. It wasn't like there was much he could do in this situation. By his count, there were at least eighteen men, all armed and no doubt willing to ruff him up if he acted out of line. What surprised him though was the dog. It was arguably one of the biggest canines he'd ever seen, black-fur with metallic implants and bloody gashes marring its body. He remembered the horrid state that his uncle and Goro had been found and deduced that the dog was the reason for their injuries. Shuya felt a small spark of joy in seeing that his uncle and his friend had given the best a good thrashing.

At least until the dog sensed his presence.

The humans jerked in shock as the dog barked and stood up, ignoring the lingering pain in his wounds. Its silted eyes found Shuya's; it then began to move toward him.

"Oooh, this is unexpected. Hey, kid, you a dog person? Don't worry, he doesn't have any rabies. Before we got a hold of 'em, this little pup used to belong to the U.S. Navy." Terashima chuckled as he pulled out his revolver, the same one he'd indirectly used to fire on Oracle. "Then again, in this situation, I don't suppose that's a good thing."

He was now the center of attention, and strangely, that didn't bother Shuya. Normally, he hated being noticed so he stuck to the shadows until he could no longer afford to. More than that, he hated being forced to the forefront of the show. This time, he had no choice in the matter.

The former service dog was now less than an inch from him. Rather than growling, it was sniffing his dirty face over. It seemed that the beast couldn't decide what to make of the fourteen-year-old. Shuya felt the same way, he looked over the dog, slowly feeling a creeping sense of awe wash over him. Not only was it larger than the average dog but its eyes were different. He could see a glimmer of human-like intelligence in them.

Not even when the beast's tongue touched his skin did he blink.

 _Odd. Strange. Unusual. Brave._

 _H-H-Huh?_ Stammered the brown-haired pre-teen. _Y-Y-Y-Your voice, I-I can hear your voice! In my head!_

 _Oddity. You are an oddity. You are…not afraid. Not afraid. Your pack…your pack will come for you._ _ **He**_ _will come for you._ _I will fight him, and he will fight me._

 _Do you have to fight each other?_

The dog paused in its licking to seemingly cock its head at Shuya. _We fight, we must fight. We are war dogs. It is our nature. I will rip him apart, or he will rip me apart. That is life. That is nature. You are young, you have yet to learn._

 _But I have learned. I know that life is cruel and unfair._ Ears twitching and wide-eyed, the dog moved from his face down to his neck. With great hesitation, Shuya reached up and felt the fur on the canine's neck. His hands ended up moving over a steal-healing wound. If he had to guess, Goro's laser blade searing the fur and flesh from the spot. _I' sorry._

Pulling away, a spark of empathy materialized in the dog's eyes. For a full minute, it registered the sorrow held within the human boy's green orbs. The dog's mouth opened in what almost seemed like a pitiful howl.

"Cassio! Enough playing around!" Barked the red-haired gunman. The dog jerked around, a bestial growl rolling off of its lips. The gunman didn't seem to be intimidated, only partially annoyed at the display.

 _I'll be okay. It's not the first time I've been in a situation like this. By the way, my name's Shuya. Is your name Cassio? Sounds like something out of Shakespeare._

Ceasing in its growling, the former service dog looked back to him. _Shakespeare. Know that name, my…creator…yes. Yes. He reads him. Annoying at times, but he is kind. You, pup, you are unusual._

Rather than walk away from him, Cassio took up a spot near six feet from Shuya. He looked to be asleep but everyone knew better than that. The gangster looked to one another, then to their supposed leaders. No one had the guts to directly confront the modified dog directly and not fear for their lives.

"Hey, hey, relax, Hikawa. No shame in letting the kid have a friend, or letting our little puppy interact with him. He could use the company, after all, he just lost half his pack!" Exclaimed Terashima patting a shaking Hikawa on the shoulder. He immediately jerked away from the criminal hitman. Watching them, Shuya concluded that Hikawa seemed to tolerate Terashima more than anything. Given from what he saw of their personalities it seemed Shido had forced them to work together. Terashima, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind him too much. "Tell you what, I'll watch the kid until it's showtime. How's about that?"

Burning green eyes met the taller man's cool gaze. "If this goes south, I'm putting the blame on you."

He and six others began to fan out. There were going to set a trap with him as bait. Shuya felt white-hot rage bubbling up inside of him, a somewhat rare feeling. If he didn't do something then his family and friend and the Phantom Thieves were going to walk headlong into a trap to save him. The thought made him struggle against the cuffs restraining his wrists. He so desperately wished he had the same kind of power that Goro and the others had, but he didn't. That power came from a sort of inner strength. Something he didn't have.

 _ **Don't be so sure of that. Everyone has a small spark of "power" within them, it's just rather or not they can bring it out.**_

"W-What?" This time, he couldn't keep his surprise hidden. Looking around, he found no one, not even Cassio, who was seemingly healing his wounds by his own power by resting. _That voice…what the hell, who the hell…it sounded kinda…like me._

"Sorry about Hikawa, shorty." Came Terashima's voice causing Shuya to turn his attention back to him. "As you can guess, the guy's one of those stick-up-his-ass types. Since we've got a little time before your pals get here, how's about a little snack? Odds are you haven't eaten since breakfast."

"Pretty much, plus running for my life does work up a bit of an appetite." Shuya replied in a monotone. It wouldn't do him any good to be defiant, he had to bind his time and wait.

A circular canton was pressed to his lips. Even as he drunk from the container, Shuya kept his guard up. He just how cruel and spiteful those in the criminal underworld could be, often for no other reason than because it was who they were. For the man who kneeled before him, murder and mayhem might as well have been written in his DNA. A blade to the throat or a hand on his throat, either one of those things wouldn't have been out of the ordinary.

Surprisingly, Terashima was rather tender in how he treated him. Seeing he'd had enough water he withdrew the canton then fished around in his pockets; what he came out with was a chocolate bar that caused Shuya's eyes to light up. Seeing that, Terashima smirked, broke off a piece, then offered it to Shuya. Still cautious, he accepted the gift.

"You've been in some tight situations before, haven't you, kid?" Noted the black-haired man. "Either that, or you've got some nerves of steel. Either way, I'm impressed."

He thought carefully about how to answer. "A little bit of both, to be honest with you. Once you get Black Mask…you're going to kill the rest of us, aren't you?" An eyebrow was raised, a brief flash of surprise raced across Terashima's face. "I know how this works, you're working for a man that doesn't stomach resistance of any kind. Not to mention…we know too much. In this line of work, loose ends can't be tolerated."

At first, Terashima said nothing, looking like he'd just watched lightning strike a tree right before his eyes. Then he exploded into laughter. "Man, first the Prince Detective, then you! I just keep meeting interesting half-pints! Talk about a strange world indeed." After some time, he got his laughter under control. The grin he gave Shuya would have fit perfectly on a hyena. "Smart kid, then you better be placing all your chips on Akechi. Speaking of which, you know what he is, don't cha?"

"That he's a liar and murderer." Answered the brown-haired preteen with lax shoulders. "So are you, and so are a few people that I know. I don't see the difference other than the fact that you're the one pointing a gun at my head. He isn't." Shuya stopped to do a quick flex of his wrist. He needed a blade of some sort. "You have a Persona, just like him."

Terashima whistled. "He's spilled his guts to you, eh, kid. Well, yeah, I do. A gladiator from the long-dead Roman Empire. The mighty Flamma, offered his freedom four times-"

"And turned it down each time because he wanted to die on the battlefield, doing what he'd found was his calling." Shuya interrupted. Suddenly, his green eyes turned hard. "Isn't that right?"

 _He's not talking to me…he's talking to_ _ **you**_ _._ Realized the hitman behind a straight frown.

Around him, the crimson- flames shimmered like a layer of fog. _**The boy cannot see me, but he can SENSE me.**_ Answered back the ancient warrior, his voice sounding just as intrigued as his human half. _**Sanyu, this child isn't normal.**_

 _I know._ The human responded now rubbing his chin while examining then fourteen-year-old with keen interest. _He's one of those SPECIAL people, the kind that the doc was yapping about. There's a chance that if we brought him in, the kid might be able to obtain a Persona, and not just one of the grunt-Personas._

The Syrian gladiator looked to his human master. _**What will you do?**_

That was when the grin came. _I'll keep this little nugget to myself. For now at least, after all, I need an ace in the hole myself for when my usefulness starts ending._

"Where'd you get it, your Persona." His question was rather straight forward and his voice level for someone in his position.

"Heh…hehehehe, well, isn't that a question. Since you've been such a good little captive, I'll tell you. A little butterfly gave it to me, or that's what I think happened." He enjoyed watching the shocked expression on the boy's face. Of all the possible answers, no, it was clear he hadn't been expecting a straight answer to begin with. What's more, is that the kid bought his words at face-value. "Sorry kid, but that's all the answers you're getting. If you want some more, you're going to have to beat them out of me, but given how things are that ain't happening any time soon!"

"That's fine." Shuya stated with clarity. "Goro will do it for me."

A burst of laughter exploded from the older man, the sort that echoed in the haunting hallways of Mementos. "Now, that's not something I ever thought I'd heard! Sounds like blowing up his apartment really helped the kid move along! Tell me something, kid, how come you've got so much faith in Akechi? The odds against him aren't looking too good."

The distant roar of a subway train blasted the space between the pair. Having chosen to set up camp in what was basically a circular chamber, they couldn't see the subway car. It was rather uncanny how these newcomers had found such a secure location to bunker down. Or maybe they'd already mapped out the metaphysical underground realm.

Shuya lowered his head, his body going near deathly still as he did so. "You're right…there's a good chance he's probably going to fail at getting his revenge and ending up in prison…but he already knows that, and he's still going. It's easy to keep walking when you know there's a light waiting for you, b-b-but…it takes real guts to walk head long into the darkness not knowing if there's something waiting for you at the end. A lot of people are too scared of the dark to even set foot in it." Both of Shuya's fists tightened, it nicely conceded with his body tensing up. "But people like Goro who've been submerged in darkness…they're not scared of it. It's home to them so they're not scared of those things that lurk in the dark, things…like _**you**_." Beneath his brown curtain of hair, teeth gnashed. "He won't run from people like you…he'll rip each and every last one of you to pieces if it means getting at Shido! He won't stop and he won't give up until he's done what he's set out to do, even if it means taking on the entire city! Even if it costs him his life…he'll take every last one of you down with him!"

Another howling burst of laughter spewed from Terashima's lips. "Hoh! Those are some mighty big words. What, do you think the Prince Detective is some sort of hero of justice like in your TV shows or comic books."

Surprisingly, Shuya laughed as well. It wasn't the laugh of young boy, it was colder and harsher, the voice of one who'd seen darkness. "Hero of justice? Don't be a dumbass. This isn't that kind of world. It'd be…it'd be nice if it was, but this is reality, not a Super Hero Block show. Besides…if he was one of those kinds of people then I wouldn't have had any faith in him. He's…he's dirty and broken, but that doesn't mean he's useless or weak, I think the opposite."

"As you should." Terashima interrupted with a near apathetic smile. "After all, what do the broken and despondent have to fear? We're already at rock bottom."

"Then there's only one thing they can do; punch, kick, and claw their way to the top." Finally, the pre-teen raised his head to look Terashima in the eye. He liked what he saw, steel-like determination that had been born from being exposed to the harshest of flames. "He will take Shido down, and he _**will**_ kick your ass, either back into a cell or into the grave."

Beneath their feet, the ground shook, and not because of the subway cars that ran on without direction. Both Terashima and Shuya heard it in their ears, the faintest sounds of explosions and combat. The Phantom Thieves were approaching the sign.

Terashima gave the younger boy a slight grin. "Him stopping Shido, now that I'd _**enjoy**_ seeing, but before that…he's going to have get through yours truly. If the kid can't knee-cap me then he's as good as dead against his old man."

Shuya jumped his feet, a spark of curiosity coloring his eyes. "Why are you so obsessed with him? I doubt this is about something as petty as him putting you away. It's almost like you…"

"I like him," laughed the sword-wielding hitman as he began to twirl his revolver. "In fact, I think I like him for the same reasons you believe in the kid-because he's a broken wreck that keeps on going." After four steps forward, Terashima stopped and looked upward. Shuya couldn't see it, but he could feel it, picture it; Terashima was smiling. "Akechi…every time I look at the kid, I can't help but see a little bit of my old self. That kid may not have his old man's attention…but he's definitely got mine."

* * *

 _ **2:33 PM…**_

"Alright," began Akira exhaling a long-held breath. "Everyone know their roles? We've got a hostage who's potentially going to be in the crossfire so we're going to have to play this carefully."

Absolutely no missed how his gaze shot at Natsuo, who returned it with all the intensity of a volcanic eruption. Her nails slid across the ground bringing dirt into her palms as she clenched her fist against the ground. Ironically, she was the wild card that he was having to control least she do something reckless. That was the least thing he needed in a situation like this, not to mention he already had enough things on worry about without an innocent person's death on his conscious.

 _ **Innocent might be stretching it a bit. After all, you saw for yourself this girl commit cold-blooded murder, she and her uncle, who I must remind you is a retired killer. Quite an odd circle you have assembled, eh?**_

 _Like you're one to talk._ Calmly, shot back the black-haired teenager. Over the months he'd grown quite good at keeping his face neutral while verbally sparring with his Persona. _This is a very desperate situation, and besides, it was in self-defense. As for Jō…he's saved our asses, and he needs help. He's good, but this is way out of his league._

 _ **He's handled himself pretty well so far.**_ Arsene's dark outline fluttered behind him. His posture mirrored those of the other Personas around the small circle save for Prometheus, who was being used as a holographic projector. _**Akira, while I understand your morals, you must accept the truth of the situation at hand. These types of things cannot be resolved without bloodshed, either at your hands or those of your enemies.**_

For a hot minute, Akira felt the impulse to bite his lip in front of everyone. _I…I know, but if I can keep the body count down, then I'm going to try._

"Joker," Goro's voice was direct and monotone, a testament to how serious he was taking the situation. His eyes were hard and focused, practically peering into his soul. "Switch out with me. I'm the one Terashima wants so-"

"Me and Skull will handle him, besides, we owe him some payback, don't we?" His best friend gave a solemn nod. Unlike usual, there was little bravado in his face or voice, only a grim determination that was echoed in the expressions of the other Phantom Thieves. Akira said nothing but noted the quick look that was exchanged between Ryuji and Ann. "Look, we know that this Terashima is the real deal, so we've got to do something to tie him up. We can do that, at the very least hold him off, and maybe take him down a pig while you grab Shuya and run."

The runaway assassin looked between his fellow Wild Card and the team's strongman. It went without saying the two shared a less than friendly relationship, but both had affirmed that they were teammates in this moment. They needed to trust each other. That's what the look on Ryuji's face was asking for, to be trusted.

Normally, Goro wouldn't have, but as they say, desperate times called for desperate measures. He gave it in the form of an equally grim nod.

Natsuo and Jō looked to each other before jointly turning to Akira; somewhat begrudgingly, they agreed to his plan.

Morgana jumped into the air and transformed, his car form showing only a handful of dents and scraps in its black and yellow exterior. Akira knew it was an indicator that the damage he'd taken had yet to truly heal. They had to end this skirmish before things spiraled further out of control and one of them ended up seriously hurt, or worse.

"Noir, hold on tight!" Akira called from the confines of the driver's seat.

"And don't overexert yourself!" Echoed the transformed feline. Her gaze was directed toward the second group which consisted of Goro, Yusuke, Ann, and Natsuo. "The rest of you, please-"

"Wait."

All eyes went to the brown-haired teen. Goro was expecting their confusion.

"What? Crow, what is it?" Questioned Makoto looking visibly concerned.

"It's…it's…look, I have an idea that may just help shield you guys, at least for a little while." Began the runaway assassin. He felt like there was cement in his mouth. "I…gah, all of you, just stay where you are!"

"Can't you just come out and say what you're feeling like a normal person?" Natsuo groaned giving him a sideways glare. With her brother's life on the line her patience was running short, not that he could blame her.

"No, I'm not a normal person, or haven't you been able to tell that by now!" Snapped back the Wild Card marching off then stopping behind a pillar.

Ann shook her head in a mixture of annoyance and a bit of awe. "Was he like that almost the entire time he was staying with you guys?"

"Pretty much." Shrugged the oldest Hashioka. "He's a tsundere, pretty heavy on the tsun-tsun side, but the dere pokes through every now and-" Her gut clenched and her hair stood on end. Natsuo wasn't a lone as she looked around and saw the others experiencing a similar feeling. Around each and every member of the group there appeared a near glass-like wall that sparkled like the polished surface of a mirror. "Um, is this-"

"A protection spell." Yusuke kindly interrupted. He turned his gaze to Goro, who was walking back toward the group. It was clear he was doing his best to avoid meeting anyone's gaze. "It appears you were right, Natsuo, Akechi is indeed a 'tsundere'."

"I head that." Growled the renegade assassin.

"If you want us to stop calling you a tsundere, then stop acting like one." Natsuo coolly fired off crossing her arms.

"You know, I'm beginning to think I should chain you up too, or at least gag you." Huffed the brown-haired teen thinking of the mech pilot he'd interrogated then restrained. It wouldn't be going anywhere for a while unless his compatriots found him.

"But you've grown addicted my beautiful voice, why else would you push me to jabber on and on at every possible turn?"

He wouldn't say it, but Goro seemed happy to see a bit of the old Natsuo breaking through the dark gloom. Not that he let such happiness show.

"You know, I'm starting to think we missed out on some serious character development." Mused the black-haired leader of the teenage band of thieves.

"I take it you're the main character of this little drama?" Cracked the only adult in the group. Like Ryuji, he was doing an ammo count of their available firearms. They'd blown through half of their ammunition in the previous firefights so the pressure was definitely on. "Out of curiosity, how'd you kids get caught up in all of this? Goro told me that it was pure chance that your paths all crossed; I'm inclined to believe it, but something in my is just telling me there's something a bit bigger here."

Akira felt Ryuji and Futaba look to him as he kept his hands on the wheel. Right alongside them Makoto was speeding along atop of Anat, having shifted into her motorbike form. He was somewhat grateful that she was outside instead of inside with the rest of them.

"You could say I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Through a very long and winding series of events, I ended up here. Jō-san, I could tell you the whole story, but it'd take some time." He finally answered keeping his eyes on the road.

"There's no rush, in fact, if you don't want to tell me that's fine. Something tells me getting here hasn't been easy, on any of you."

"You're damn right it hasn't." Grumbled the shotgun-totting teen who sat across from him.

"Do any of you blame Akechi for putting you in this mess?"

"No, at least…not completely." It was somewhat surprising that Ryuji was the one to answer. Having caught the old hitman's attention, he mustered his will and looked him in the eye. He didn't want to say he was intimidated, but Jō Shishido certainly gave off the aura of a man who'd fought for his life many times over, and won. "I, we, hate the guy for framing us for murder…but after that…I…I guess we really just hate the bastard who set this whole thing up. The same bastard that had him running around Tokyo screwin' shit up just so he could get elected. It's…"

"We're all children of misfortune." Swiftly cut in the team's leader. "If I may, Jō-san, your niece and nephew are as well, aren't they?"

There was a humorful chuckle, one that Akira recognized all too well. "Yep, you could throw me into that lot as well. It seems misery loves company and all that."

"But…isn't that why people come together, to fight off that misery?" Futaba hadn't realized she'd spoken until the words were out of her mouth. "I-I-I mean, J-Joker, w-w-we're within the target area! B-Bring out Seiryu!"

Both of his hands came off the wheel. While Akira knew he could have used a single hand, this wasn't the time to take any chances with his concentration. Akira's white mask vanished in a haze of blue flames. As Makoto and Anat kept pace on their right, the serpentine dragon that ruled the east. Its eyes flashed a mystical blue and mist began to escape from its jaws. Quickly, it fanned out, quickly encompassing the area. Gradually, the frost began to spread along the blood-covered walls, railways, and the road itself. Morgana bristled a little at the sudden temperature change, but he'd been ready for it. At the heart of what was a mobile blizzard he was safe, as were those inside of him and the girl atop of him.

 _I only have twelve shells left._ Concluded the heiress as freezing winds began to whip at her mask-covered face.

 _ **Ordinary rounds, my dear.**_ Chimed her Persona, sounding absolutely giddy with anticipation for the coming conflict. While the situation had repeatedly deteriorated putting them all on edge Haru had noted her Persona had actually grown rather excited. She tried not to think about what that meant, especially for her psyche. _**Hold nothing back! Worry not for that child, he is a survivor so he will no doubt find a way through this!**_

 _I…I can't do that. I won't put Shuya's life at further risk just to vent out my anger._ Following that thought, Haru cleared her mind of all distractions just as Akira did. In the vacuum of serenity her power blossomed. From it, she was able to reach out and grip the portions of the surrounding environment. With frost spreading through the tunnels it was easier than it normally would have been. Pieces of rock and metal were torn away from their original place and levitated over to the forefront of their group-makeshift shields and artillery pieces. Keeping them in place was a daunting task, but one that Haru was fully prepared for.

Her ears buzzed at the sound of the first crack of a gunshot. Thankfully, this one missed all of them by a sizable margin. Haru doubted that the next one would miss.

A hailstorm of gunfire came blasting out at them. The shots were wild and highly inaccurate, but that didn't mean that they didn't have anything to worry about. Haru moved the debris around them like a protective shield, allowing for them to take the brunt of the attack.

"Noir, now!" Shouted Akira from the driver's seat, echoing him was Seiryu's resounding roar which shook the tunnel.

Amidst the flaring mass of blue flames, Haru's warm eyes flashed golden-yellow. Milady's entire body hummed with psychic energy while a malevolent laugh fell from her non-visible lips. All of the floating projectiles gained a triple-colored outline seconds before they were hurled forth with all the speed of cannonballs.

Startled cries and shouts of agony greeted the ears of the first group. Haru barked out a single command to her Persona, who gleefully followed through by opening her skirt to reveal a missile launcher. The red-tipped-projectile burst forth, leaving a smoky trail through the icy fog as it zoomed toward its target.

 _ **SLISH!**_

"He's here! That psycho-slasher guy!" Shouted Futaba. Instinctively, all of her muscles teased as the all-too fresh memory of her last encounter with Terashima replayed in her head.

True to her declaration, multiple arc-shaped waves of azure energy came jetting out of the mist. Makoto cursed and readied herself to act, but a mental hand fell over her shoulder.

 _ **Not yet, see your friend's kindness with your own eyes.**_

Stalled by Anat's voice, Makoto could only watch as the whitish-blue energy slash came directly at her. It was too close for her to avoid so she shut her eyes and braced for the ensuing pain.

Except there was none.

"H-H-Huh?!"

"W-Whoa! We've got protection, physical protection!" Came Futaba's jubilant voice.

Makoto double-checked her body over with a gaping mouth. She was fine, perfectly fine. No, looking at her right hand she realized she was better than that. Her eyes widen and her breath caught in her throat as she saw her entire body was covered in a glass-like glow with colored sparkles rolling off of her skin.

 _T-This is…!_

 _ **Yes,**_ Softly affirmed the goddess she was currently riding. _**A physical barrier cast over you all. Be wary, this shield only protects you against physical damage, not magically attacks.**_

She looked to the left where and met Akira's equally shocked gaze. He smiled at her, Makoto echoed his expression.

 _You were right to believe in him._ Thought the younger Niijima sister pressing down on the throttle. She didn't know how long Goro's protection spell would last, but she had to make it count. Pulling up in front of Mona's car form, she called forth the power of her ancient Persona. Around her manifested several star-like masses of nuclear energy. Anat's engine roared and the stars shot forward, all of them cutting a clear path through the frosty mist Akira had created.

Seiryu's head appeared alongside her, a protective coating of light surrounding his scaled body. His maw open and out came a blast of condensed freezing energy that streaked through the mist into the enemy camp. However, a red and orange-colored beam of fire and heat met the blast halfway through and began to push up against it.

 _ **Makoto, ready yourself, here he comes!**_

"Skull! Joker! He's coming!" She relayed back to her teammates.

Behind the wheel, Akira looked around to the rest of the group. All of them nodded in understanding at what was coming next.

Tearing through the mist was the scar-chested Flamma, his fiery aura burning away the frosty mist. His blade was raised and came down within inches of Makoto and Anat; both pulled back, skidding to a stop just as weapon came down.

"Seiten Taisei!" Shouted Skull seconds before Morgana's car form vanished in a puff of white and blue smoke. The Monkey King came bursting through the haze, his red and gold-colored staff cackling with electricity.

Sword and staff met in an explosive clash that turned up the temperature of the tunnel, nearly melting away all of the ice.

A shadowy figure came bolting at Makoto from her right, a red object held tightly in his hands. She patiently waited as a second shadow moved past her to intercept it.

 _ **CLANG!**_

"Tch! You're on my list, kid, but you're not the one I want! Where's my Prince Detective?!" Barked Terashima as he attempted to overpower Akira through sheer force.

The black-haired teen was doing remarkably well using nothing but his knives to hold back the cleaver-like blade his opponent wielded. "Sorry, you want one of my teammates, you gotta go through me."

His senses alerted him to a second threat, with great speed, Terashima broke off and swung his sword in the opposite direction, just in time to meet the black _kanabō_ wielded by Ryuji. "You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us, asshole!"

In response to their threat, the yakuza hitman grinned. "You know, I've got an idea! I'll kill all of you, that'll probably motivate Akechi and make the fight even more thrilling!"

"Oh, shut the hell up!" With a shout of furious determination, Ryuji pushed the older man away then took another swing. Terashima stepped out of the way while drawing his revolver and taking aim at Akira, who kept on charging even as he squeezed the trigger.

"The hell?!" Shouted the assassin as he watched his bullet literally bounce off Akira's black coat. Teeth pulled back in a vicious snarl, he flipped his sword into a reverse grip then launched a crimson-colored projectile directly at the teen. Still, nothing.

With no choice, Terashima steeled his arms as the two teens swung their respective weapons directly at him. The frosty air was blown away by the double impact, yet he didn't buckle.

But his eyes did widen when he saw the approaching Makoto, her right fist pulled back and sparkling with silvery light.

The Syrian gladiator disappeared from the engagement with the Monkey King, his essence flowing back into his human half seconds before the empowered fist slammed into his gut. Terashima's breath escaped him as the fist was driven deep into his gut.

Blood dripped from his lips as he was sent skidding backward, his organs howling in pain at the pain he'd just been inflicted with. For a brief second, Terashima felt like vomiting; the nuclear power held in his female opponent's punch wasn't anything to laugh at.

"Hey, asshole!" barked Ryuji, his body assailed by a curtain of azure flames. "Consider this payback for what you did to Panther!"

Akira's body was lit by the same fiery maelstrom, a look of cold fury on his face in contrast to his friend's. "And Oracle."

Behind the two bows appeared their respective Personas, the Pillager of Twilight and the Heavenly Monkey King. Seiten Taisei's face morphed into an angry scowl as he gathered tendrils of lightning into the tip of his staff; Arsene's flaming grin lit up the cold air as he did the same, amassing darkness into his arms and wings. Seeing this, Terashima couldn't help but smile even as blood trickled down his lips. Flamma manifested behind him, his sword pulled back and alight with blood-red energy.

"Crimson Thunder!" Shouted the two teenage boys in unison. With an ear-shattering cry Seiten Taisei raised his staff, the lightning twisting around Arsene's black and red figure. The Fool-aligned Persona's smile became alight with near psychotic jolts of electricity which filtered out through the rest of his body. His wings were thrown outward along with his hands. From his palms and wings came a concentrated mass of dark energy coated by arcing bolts of crimson lightning.

"Hell Fang!" Screeched Terashima, bringing his blade down with his Persona mirroring his actions.

The power of two met the power of one, darkness and lightning meeting the power of pure wickedness. The two attacks pushed against one another, the ground breaking apart beneath them.

Briefly, Terashima's eyes found those of his teenage foes. They didn't look like kids, or thieves for that matter. Thieves thrived in the darkness, running away as soon as the light was shown on them. Instead of doing that, the pair of boys were standing strong. Their strength was put on full display in the power of their Personas.

Darkness and lightning roared in tandem with one another, and began to advance pushing the gladiator back. The air cackled with energy, then exploded in an earth-shaking bang that shook the entire tunnel.

* * *

For a band of gangsters with fighting experience limited to the streets, Goro thought their enemies were handling themselves surprisingly well. Then again, the streets were a harsh teacher when it came to fighting and killing.

Their original plan of a two-pronged assault was working, in a way, Akira's group had certainly created something of a stir as most of the attention seemed to be on the front leaving the rear open to them. The tunnel wall gave away beneath the geokinetic power of Barbatos. They'd made their way on front from there, but as usual, the plan went off the rails.

Having cast Tetrakarn on all of them, they were shielded from the physical bullets and blades that came their way. But the defense wouldn't last for long.

"I shall take care of their gunman." Yusuke affirmed behind a magical shield that Ann and Hecate had set up in response to the bullet storm of enemy fire they'd come under.

"Are you sure about that? No offense, but you've taken some serious blows since we got here!" Shouted Natsuo over the enemy fire.

The swordsman looked her dead in the eye giving him her answer, he then did the same to the rest of the group. Afterward, he took off like a bird of prey, or perhaps a fox to be more accurate.

From the distant, several gunshots sounded, several electrified bullets came Yusuke's way. He knew that he could risk it, so he counterattacked.

The darkness was lit up by the deflected lightning bullets, some of which struck the gangsters leaving them paralyzed. Keeping his eyes ahead of him, Yusuke increased his speed, light-blue-colored energy slowly coiling around his sheathed katana. A dozen meters ahead of him he watched a mass of flames amass into a single point. His mind calculated the distant between himself and the enemy, as well as the pain he'd feel if he took a direct hit. There was an orange flash, then the shot exploded forward.

His left foot stretched out, Yusuke spun to his right, his sword unsheathing itself as he did so. Behind him, the spectral form of Kamu Susano-o did likewise.

Instead of ice, pure blue light coated his blade. Echoing was the sound of metal clanging against metal.

"Heads up, Hikawa-san!" Shouted one of the gangster as his body jerked with electricity.

Wide-eyed, the redheaded gunman jumped to the side, his previous seating spot exploding in a burst of fire. He had little time to muse on how close he'd came to getting roasted by his own attack as a wave of icy energy was barreling straight at him. Putting away his rifle, he whipped out two pistol and fired a pair of fiery bullets at the attack. Steam exploded from between the collision, and from it came the blue and black-bodied Susano.

"Yazaemon!"

The sword of the storm god met the wood and barrel gun barrel of the ninja. Mighty gusts of wind fanned out as the two warriors, a polar opposite of the other, struggled against one another for dominance. Beneath them, the edge of a blade and the underside of a pair of pistols met one another.

"This wasn't supposed to happen! This plan was simple and straight forward, but as usual, brats like you had to mess it up!" Sneered Hikawa putting his back into shrugging off Yusuke.

Masterfully deflecting his shots, the blue-haired artist shot back, "If you've been hired to kill us, then you must know we will not go down quietly! Especially when you involve bystanders!" To his frustration, Hikawa evaded his follow-up slashes, but only by a small margin.

Pointing his gun directly at the masked teen's head, the green-eyed assassin's face morphed into a cold frown. "This is war, of course bystanders are going to die. Only question is how many before stains like you are wiped away."

Two arquebus appeared at either of Kamu Susano-o's sides. Their shots effortlessly bounced off the freezing aura of the suddenly coated the wild-haired god. His eyes flashed red as he pushed back and raised his sword. Icy winds twisted around the double-tipped blade, in contrast, Yazaemon raised his personal arquebus, orange and yellow flames concentrating at the tip.

But the barrel wasn't directed at the god, it was thrust into the ground where the trigger was pulled.

Yusuke cursed as the ground beneath his feet and beyond burst into a fiery curtain. The shield that Goro had placed on him protected him from the blaze, but it spread out beyond him, toward his teammates. At his mental call, Kamu Susano-o rammed his own sword into the ground, quelling the fire with waves of freezing ice.

It took almost all of Natsuo's willpower to keep from shouting her brother's name as the ground first erupted, then froze within seconds of each other. The magical shield that Goro had placed over them all protected them from the duel effects. Then it shattered just as the flash-fire and flash-freeze ended. Natsuo didn't mind that, she just needed to see her brother again, safe and sound.

A canine bark pierced the air; Goro cursed. He told them to go on ahead while his laser blade lit up and he moved to the forefront of the group. Coming at them was a shaggy black mass of fur that she had no desire to get close to. The dog leaped at Goro first, electricity cackled between its jaws.

"Alright, never seen that before!" Called Ann as the two clashed in a shower of light and sparks.

"NATSUO!"

Hearing his voice, sheer instinct and impulse overtook her body. Breaking into a sprint over the broken earth, she spotted a pair of figures moving at the edge of the area, toward a railway. A minute later and she saw it, her brother and a gangster holding him by the throat, a pistol locked and loaded. Pure fury exploded across her face. In contrast, the gangster smiled like he'd just won the lottery.

The ceiling above them exploded, a metallic giant descending downward amidst the rubble. Ann wasted no time in attack it with her machine gun and her Persona. Hecate's chains bit into the mecha with everything they had, all six of her eyes blazing with anger same as her summoner. Natsuo jerked to the left, climbing over the rumble to get at her brother and his captor.

Again, the ceiling gave in, another mechanic visitor dropping in. Natsuo came a sudden stop as she sized up her opposition. A couple of knives, a pistol, and some bombs could take the mech down, but it wouldn't be easy. Briefly, her eyes swerved to her still struggling brother and his captor. He was watching the whole thing like some sick show. She hunched her shoulders and reached behind her back.

 _ **THUNK! THUNK!**_

Wide-eyed, she watched the military robot stagger back, a pair of shining arrows sticking out of its chest. She was sure the pilot was taking his last gasps of breath as both arrows had completely run through the machine. Not missing a beat, she took off again, her stolen machete held tightly in her hand as her eyes focused in on the man holding her brother by the neck.

"You…you bitch! Just die already! Die, you little piece of shit!" Screamed the gangster with a furious snarl on his face. From behind him rose an ogre-like entity with a similar expression. Its head jerked back, heat building up in the air around it.

Shuya's eyes widen as he knew what was coming next. "Stop it! STOP IT, NOW!"

Natsuo felt like bell had been rung inside of her head; momentarily, all of her senses blared including her vision. It felt like some unearthly gale was sweeping over her body. Her vision returned. The gangster's Persona was screaming in agony as its form distorted and warped, it was like watching a TV losing the signal then switching to static. Seeing her chance, she hurled her machete with as much force as she could.

It hit its mark in the man's leg bringing him to his knees, which was just what Shuya needed. At last, he wiggled out of the grip of the older man. Within seconds of hitting the ground he was running towards her, the makings of tears in his eyes.

"Shu-"

 _ **BANG!**_

One minute, Natsuo was sprinting forward, close to tripping over her own feet. The next, she was fighting the urge to scream as pain tore through her left shoulder. Her knees buckled and she hit the ground forehead first. She'd been shot, thankfully in the shoulder, but that didn't mean that the pain wasn't something to walk off. Natsuo would have cursed if her mind wasn't preoccupied with other things, namely her brother holding her against his chest and crying. That sound alone was enough to break her heart. Barely raising her head, she was able to catch sight of her attacker, angling his gun at them.

"You're brother and sister, huh? The die together, you shitty brats!" Screeched the yakuza thug.

Wide-eyed, Natsuo moved her body as best she could. Shuya was buried into her chest as she twisted her body around so her back was facing the gunman. She was sure the shots were going to be fatal, in both their target area and number. Shutting her eyes tight and braced for the pain.

" _ **GET THE HELL AWAY FROM THEM!"**_

Temporarily, her ears rung at the near thunder-like voice, it sounded all too familiar

There wasn't much time to dwell on it as she felt something large and fast rush over her, the jet stream it created battering her and Shuya. What came next was the tremor, small and quick, but intense in its sheer force. Her blood ran cold at the skinning _crunch_ that filled her recovering ears. It sounded like a piece of meat being skewered on a stick.

Twisting her head around, her jaw dropped in seeing that's exactly what had happened. Except the "stick" in question was a sword, a s pierce of red-hot steel almost six feet-long, little over the length of her hole body. Holding the blade by the handle, which was nothing but a pair of prongs, was perhaps the oddest creature she'd ever seen. The Persona was bent over pose; its body was a mesmerizing mixture of black and white. Natsuo could have sworn the two colors were blending together right before her eyes, the more she looked at it the harder it was to discern where one color ended and the other began. Tearing her eyes away from the entity, she looked down and found her would-be-killer lying flat on his back. Sticking out of him was the sword, having completely run him through.

A bestial grunt sounded from the Persona; red and purple flames erupted from the sword, completely consuming the barely-breathing body at the end of it. There was another sickening crunch as the weapon was removed, a dual-colored bonfire springing up from where it'd previous lay. As the Persona stood upright, Natsuo was finally able to get a good look at its face.

" _Trust me, if you saw what my Loki looked like, you'd probably have a tough time sleeping at night."_ Gore had told her when she'd started pressing him for details on Personas, specifically his.

" _What? Come on, how ugly could it be? I mean, sure, in legend he got his mouth sown shut but I've met guys who've had their eyes gouged out and still managed to look attractive. Seriously though, what does your Loki look like? Does he have a gold and green color scheme like Tom Hiddleston?"_

" _You know, sometimes I wished mine looked like that…but it, he doesn't. He…he's me. He's all of my ugliness made manifest. Heh, if you saw it, I don't think you'd find me so nice."_

"… _I never said you were nice, just that you were interesting. Nice is a bit…well, nice can be a bit dull. Whatever it looks like, I want to see it because it's a part of you."_

There were no eyes on the creature, only horns were eyes should have been. That wasn't what caught her attention though. Nor was it the mouth full of carnivore-like teeth. Oh no, it was the _hair_. A trio of thick braids that were colored red at the tips along with a pair of smaller braids that framed the side. They'd been fashioned with such fine detail that Natsuo couldn't help but feel jealously blooming in her heart.

Loki grinned at her as he gave the siblings a deep bow. _**My deepest apologies for the little mess, my lady and little friend. Worry not, this little nightmare is almost at an end, oh, and what glorious, bloody end it shall be! Wouldn't you say so, my dear master?**_

Groaning in pain, Natsuo looked in the opposite direction, Shuya doing the same. Their green eyes settled on the figure cloaked in a dying myriad of crimson-colored flames similar to those their enemies had summoned. They sharply contrasted to the pitch-black armor that adorned the teenager's body. All eyes had gone to the transformed youth. Gone was the white-clothed prince who fought with weapons lifted from a sci-fi show. In his place stood a dark knight with a helmet in the shape of a bird's beak, an ebony cape stopping just short of the middle of his back.

The dark knight looked up, his red eyes screaming bloody murder as he turned his gaze to Hikawa and his cohorts. Fear froze them in their tracks.

In his left his appeared a serrated blade with red-coloring. In flash of light, Loki appeared above the enraged teen, his wicked smile a stock contrast to his summoner.

"Incinerate them…incinerate them down to their bones, _**Loki**_!"

* * *

 **CUT! Woah, that chapter was a bit more fun to write than I expected. Some foreshadowing and backstory-exposition about where the giant robots came from. Oh, and some Goro getting to show his darker side, which I really do love writing about. Besides that, I got to show a bit more of Shuya and Terashima's characters. I want some real feedback on the conversation between the two of them. Odds are Shuya up until this point has been perceived as this little-brother figure that's the more idealistic of the Hashiokas siblings. He isn't because he's been through just as much as Natsuo has, arguably more so since he's more attuned to people's feelings.**

 **In tarot readings, the moon is heavily associated with being attained to the subconscious world such as dreams or feelings. Another more fantastical aspect of the tarot is the moon is heavily associated with psychic energy and paranormal happenings, which are all symbolic of the moon itself. That played a part with Shuya's conversation with Cassio, and Flamma correctly guessing that he "isn't" a normal kid. Far from it actually.**

 **In the franchise, a common occurrence for the Moon arcana is projecting one's faults and fears onto others; Mishima being a prime example of this. For Shuya, I went with the opposite, instead of projecting his faults onto others, it's more like he's able to sense out the fear in others, yet is drawn to those who are able to accept their fears and doubts and attempt push on in spite of them. In other words, grasp at the moon, a task commonly seen as impossible yet people keep trying-insanity, or perhaps LUNACY.**

 **Next up is Hikawa, the other Persona-user who's going to be a central antagonist of this story. In contrast to Terashima, he's going to be more of the "lawfully evil" alignment, and serve as a reflection of what Goro could be. His Persona is Kido Yazaemon, a real-life ninja of the Iga Clan. Yazaemon was a master of the Tangeashima arquebus and explosives. His most famous feat was the attempted assassination of Oda Nobunaga (hint) in 1579 only to fail and kill several of his companions. While he failed, Yazaemon accomplished the feat of escaping with his life, never once being caught by Nobunaga which is a hint at his future role in the story.**

 **As far as Arcanas go, Yazaemon is of the Magician Arcana, which traditionally are associated with Fire attacks (to a point) and love troubles. On that note, Terashima's Flamma is of the Chariot Arcana. Oh, and there was a slight hint on where he got his Persona from. A butterfly, gee, wonder what sort of strange butterfly could do that?**

 **Next chapter will be the last in what I call the "Renegade Arc" and will conclude the Phantoms battle against Shido's forces and their escape from Mementos. Rather or not it's with all of their group you'll just have to wait and see! Until then!**


	23. Chapter 22-Die Another Day

**I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 22-Die Another Day**

Red with anger. Goro had heard the expression several times before; gradually, he understood where it had come from. When under intense anger or stress, it often did seem the world was dyed red, serving to further enrage whoever it was that was falling under anger's embrace. He was no different. Two years ago, he truly understood the meaning of the phrase. Loki had told him at the time it wouldn't be the last his rage would overflow and he'd burn with the urge to paint the world around him crimson with the blood of his enemies.

Here and now, trapped in Mementos with an unlikely band of allies facing down a stronger and better-equipped group of enemies he couldn't have predicted, that's what he was going to do. What was driving it though, was something he couldn't have ever expected. For most of his life, he'd been alone, caring for really no one but himself with the knowledge that one day his life would end. He'd accepted that path and decided to keep on going.

But other people were a different story. Other people who against all odds he'd become affectionate towards. One of those people was lying on her side, a bullet hole in her shoulder. The person responsible was dead by his own hand, little more than a charred corpse that would be picked apart by Mementos' residents. It wasn't enough for him; Goro's rage continued to burn forcing him to turn towards the rest of the gangsters that had been pursuing them.

Loki was all too happy to act on his emotions, jetting across the battlefield with his sword held tightly in his hands. There were a multitude of swings that let deep purple arcs in their wake. Personas and pillars were splint, many bursting into dark flames. For the owners of the Personas, the pain was very real as they dropped to the ground, cradling their heads in naked agony. The black and white Persona wasn't like those of the Phantom Thieves, it was born from its owner's malice and hatred meaning when it dealt pain, it dealt it in _all_ of its terrible fury.

Goro himself wasn't remaining idle while his alternate Persona rampaged at his command. He was moving as well, his serrated sword flashing in murderous arcs that left bloody trails in its wake. It wasn't like this was anything new for him, just more of the same. He'd been given a nice reprieve during his time with the Phantom Thieves, but this wasn't a time for thievery like they'd indulged in.

As blood flew from the splint chest of one of the gangsters, Goro stared back at the dying man with cold eyes. He turned his glare with equal venom as he righted himself and made for a counterattack. Goro slashed at his arm, severing the tendons in it in a single slash before delivering a kick to his chest. He cared not for what became of him afterwards as he had another problem to deal with. Spinning around he met the over-sized blade of another gangster, this one sporting shades. Gnashing his teeth, Goro immediately summoned forth all of his strength to overpower the man.

 _ **SLISH!**_

Through his helmet, he saw the blue and white-blur rush past his attacker, who himself suddenly dropped to his knees. Blood was staining his pants crimson. Less than a second later and the man's shades were knocked off as something hard smacked against the side of his head.

"So, this is your Black Mask form. I must say, it is quite…eye-catching." That was probably the best thing Yusuke could say at the moment. They were still fighting for their lives after all. "Ann is seeing to Natsuo and Shuya, I will back you up." The blue-haired artist silently noted the surprise in his eyes. His head snapped over to where the Hashiokas siblings lay. Standing protectively over them was Ann, and above them Hecate, her clawed hands spread out, a healing wave being emitted from them. _It seems Akira was right. Akechi…you try hard to deny it, but you do possess a heart, one that can care for others._

"Then cover me." He stated turning his gaze toward the supposed leader of the group.

The Phantom Thieves' artist got to work on that immediately. Without warning, the two-pronged sword of the Shinto sword god came down, a protective wall of icy wall encircling the two boys deflecting the hailstorm of gunfire that came their way less than a moment later.

 _ **Ah, Sus-su, I'm happy to see you back to rocking those abs of yours! And the tattoos, by the gods, they're amazing! Please, you gotta tell me who you got to do them, we both know you're far too clumsy and simple-minded to create such artistry on your own.**_ Cracked the Norse god as he shot a sideways smile at his blue-bodied counterpart.

In response, Kamu Susano-o grunted. It was clear he would have liked to take his sword and plunge it into Loki's chest; the question was if the blow would stick. Knowing the trickster god, probably not. _**Here I was hoping if I ever ran into you again your mouth would be sown shut. I suppose that's another hope of mine dashed.**_

 _ **Are you truly surprised? Hope? Please, our kind don't deal in hope! Moreover, if you want me to stop talking, why not take the initiative and do it yourself?**_ Responded the monochromatic Persona giving the Japanese god a wide grin.

There was another grunt on Kamu Susano-o's part, then he too smiled. Raising his sword alongside Loki, the two Personas flew forward, side-by-side just as their owners were now racing toward Hikawa and his Persona. The trickster raised his hand, his pronged-handled sword levitating in front of him. Around the group appeared a glass-like barrier that deflected the oncoming attacks.

Hikawa halted his fire in realizing the physical barrier that had been placed wasn't going to crack under normal fire. So he tried a different tactic, hitting the ground his attackers were coming across on.

The swords of the ice-aligned combatants came down simultaneously, flashing freezing the explosions and ground in unison. Amazingly, Goro was able to continue sprinting over the ice. Murder swelled in his eyes as he swung his serrated blade at the redhead, who remained as composed as could be. His composure remained, much to Goro's frustration, especially since he was doing a good job in holding his sword off with what looked to be a simple baton. Through the deadlock, the two assassins exchanged glares. Mutual disdain blossomed; time would tell if it would grow into outright hatred.

One could argue that such hatred was already there, at least on Hikawa's part. This isn't going to end well for you, brat." Sneered the older man.

"When do these things ever end well?" Came the cold and detached reply of the brown-haired teen breaking off. "Back off and I'll let you walk away from this."

White-hot anger flashed through Hikawa's eyes as his teeth were revealed in a near feral snarl. "Quiet! You're nothing but a cheap-ass imitator! A fake assassin, so shut you mouth and go down!" Bright blue arcs of electricity lit up the stun baton. The twisting bolts lashed out angrily; their flashed before the teenager's shielded eyes as the weapon was swung at him. "Just be a good little brat and take a nap!"

Biting back a response, he channeled a portion of energy into his blade then swung it in a sideways arc, parrying the attack. They went at each other again and again, neither managing to get and advantage over the other. Both assassins knew this dance couldn't last long, it had to end.

Goro decided to be the one to end it. A step back and a pistol leveled at the head. He didn't smile as he pulled the trigger, only waited for the crimson blood splash that came with a bullet to the head.

Except like Terashima, Hikawa denied him that.

His left arm howled in pain as he felt the throbbing in it temporarily leave his hand feeling numb. Rather than dwell on his now missing gun or throbbing hand, Goro focused on keeping himself alive, stepping back to avoid the follow-up kick from Hikawa. Spotting the stun baton coming back at him, he instinctively raised his sword in a defensive position.

"Aaaarrggh!" The electric shock hurt worse than it should have. Immediately, Goro's mind flashed back to his time captive beneath the city's streets in the sewers by a trio of yakuza thugs. Somehow, this was worse even though the baton hadn't even touched him. Through the painful shocks, he saw the cackling weapon touching his sword, which was now shaking in his hand. It tumbled from his palms as a knee was driven straight into his stomach, then a powerful upper cut slammed into the bottom of his helmet. It all finally ended with a side kick to his gut that knocked the air out of him.

"Now, be a good little ant and get crushed." Came the cold voice of the gunman, one his pistols leveled at the crippled teenager.

Suddenly, the man's aim was shifted from head of Goro to the oncoming waves of icy energy. Bullets flew from muzzles, only to be frozen by the sub-zero energy. Cursing, the fell backward to avoid the sword slashes, then put his guard up as the fox-masked swordsman sped up on him.

"The baton, Fox! Watch out for the baton!" Cried the downed Wild Card.

"I'm aware!" Called back the blue-haired artist. Goro could see the wave of icy-energy building around his katana through the sheath. As he ran by, the brown-haired assassin could have sworn he felt an arctic gale trailing behind him.

Clearly, Hikawa felt it too, and took steps t stop it in his tracks. Falling back, he summed his Persona, an armored ninja totting a massive arquebus leveled at the sprinting Phantom Thief.

 _Dammit, I've got to do something!_ Snarled the black-garbed teen as the electric shock surrounding him began to wear off.

 _ **You have something on you that can help.**_ Began Loki.

 _ **Let your wings flap and your claws come out.**_ Echoed Robin Hood.

The pieces clicked together immediately. No fuss was made as he summoned forth the plastic toy that he and Shuya had spent almost four whole minutes marveling at. Amazingly, the pain in his hand had faded allowing for him to grip the model gun perfectly. His right hand switched out the Booster Barrels, a raven-like attachment now atop of the plastic toy which now hummed with real energy. He took aim at Yusuke's back and fired.

Still running, the artist felt a sudden rush run up his spine. Looking to either side of him, he went wide-eyed seeing a pair of purple-lined black ravens soaring past him, directly toward the Persona. They hit the gun-totting ninja square in the chest causing him to misfire. Smirking, Yusuke unsheathed his sword, a mammoth wave of arctic energy exploding from the edge and freezing Yazaemon cold.

"What the-" Silencing him was the red-orange muzzle flash that came from the black-garbed Persona-user. Bursting from the "toy gun" were several dozen flaming birds, each no bigger than his finger, but countless in number, enough to overwhelm him. They all flew around the still coming Fox and directly toward him. "You little shits! Are you trying to mock me!" Hikawa screamed firing at the flurry at Yusuke with his two pistols.

Casually, the swordsman continued to deflect them. "You're the one who crossed us first! You'd do well to remember this!"

 _ **SLISH!**_

 _ **WHOSH!**_

 _ **KLANG!**_

"Don't underestimate the Phantom Thieves." Declared fox-masked teen sheathing his sword.

Pieces of frozen and broken metal clattered to the ground in the form of cut-up pistol. Following it were several drops of blood from Hikawa's bleeding right arm and cut forehead. Crimson liquid poured down the open wound on the right side of his forehead, his enraged breaths coming out in icy clouds. He glared at Yusuke promising retaliation for the wounds, but his sixth sense went off alerting him to the other Phantom Thief present. Turning to his right, he found said thief glaring at him.

Silver and crimson light collected about the barrel of the Silver Soaring Shooter sharply contrasting with the dark outfit worn by its user. Through a pair of red-lens Goro glared back at the older hitman. At his side were to spectral entities-a monochrome hunchback with horns and braids, beside him a white-bodied and caped archer notching an arrow.

"Shoot'em up!" Shouted a female voice ringed with excitement.

The two entities laughed.

"Dammit! That's not the phrase!" Exclaimed the Justice-aligned Persona-user seconds before he squeezed the trigger. The energy bullet morphed into a bird, its wings proudly spread out as it soared over the battlefield directly at the enraged Hikawa, who gaped at it in shock and horror.

Hastily, he raised his left arm, his Persona manifesting around him with its own firearm leveled at the incoming attack. The muzzle flashed, seconds before the energy attack collided with him.

Ann covered her eyes as the multi-colored explosion lit up the darkness of the sub-way tunnel. It was a pleasant surprise to her. "Fox, let's end this!" Jumping to her feet, her hand shot to her feline mask. "Hecate, you know what to do!"

 _ **Oh, gladly! Susano-o! Follow my lead!**_ Thundered the Greek goddess positioning her two dog heads into place. Flames escaped from the clenched jaws before exploding forward in concentrated beams as they were opened wide.

The Japanese Persona grunted in agreement before raising his sword, icy energy swirling about the weapon. As it was brought down forward came a singular beam of icy energy that flash frozen everything it came across.

 _ **Not going to let the others steal your spotlight, are you?**_ Smirked Loki as his summoner's hand went to his helmet-like mask, eyes blazing with purpose. _**Good, I thought not!**_ Via mental command, the sword moved right into Loki's hands, his palms tightly gripping the hot thongs that made up the weapons handle. Holy and unholy energy gathered in the form of white and purple-colored flames that condensed around the blade. As with Kamu Susano-o, they were launched forward from a downward swing that fired off a single concentrated line of destruction aimed at the downed Persona-using assassin.

All three attacks hit their target at the same time, merging together into an earth-shaking explosion that lit up the sub-way tunnel like a firework. Not stopping at Hikawa's supposedly downed form, the explosive burst continued on to the wall, and through it, propelling rock and debris in all directions. Faces were covered and bodies huddled down as to avoid being blow away by the resulting shockwave, and the aftershock.

Yusuke was the first to look up. "I…think we might have over did it a bit."

Goro looked at the gaping, flaming hole their combined attack had left in the wall. It was big enough one could probably drive two metrobuses through and still have room left over on both sides and above. It was…incredible.

But something was wrong.

 _He's…still alive._ Concluded the runaway hitman tightening his right hand. _I saw it, I know I did._ Robin and Loki were silent in his mind, but he felt their backing od his statement. In particularly, Robin Hood placed an invisible hand on his shoulder. When the next encounter came he would be ready. Sighing, he turned to Yusuke, unsure of what to say. "Fox, I-"

"That's quite a weapon. It seems Akira was right in saying that you were full of surprises." Said the painter, looking to him with a small smile. "That gun, I must ask where exactly did it come from. Based on the design I'd say it's based on the Phoenix Featherman series."

"It is." Admitted the Wild Card with a half-hearted chuckle. "But it's not mine, it's his." At his behest, Yusuke's attention went to the Hashioka siblings, both of whom caught their gaze.

The small smile grew. Goro wasn't sure if he liked it. "You've really developed a soft spot for them, haven't you?"

"Look, can we just not-"

 _ **BOOM!**_

A second explosion illuminated the darkness. Turning their heads, the group saw it, a burst of bright yellow lightning and red and black-colored dark energy that broke the ceiling of the made the ground shake. Sweeping over them was a blast of heat that left the teens sweating in their clothes. None reacted to it as their guts told them the blast had come from one of their own, or rather two of their own.

"Those two always make a good team." Muttered Goro with a smile well hidden by his mask. Seconds later and his ears picked up the familiar roar of a motorcycle engine. Like Yusuke, he turned his head in the direction it came from and saw the approaching gleam of silver.

"Hey! We're here! Is…wha…what the hell happened?!" Cried Makoto bringing Anat to a stop. Jō hopped off of the transformer-like goddess and made for his niece and nephew, who called out to him. Makoto, meanwhile gaped at the smoking hole in the wall that the trio of Persona users had created with their triple attack. "G-Guys, what did you…A-A-Akechi?! I-Is that you?!"

Against his better wisdom, he laughed at the steel-masked girl while spreading his short shadowy cape out. "Of course it's me! Couldn't you tell by the mask and this magnificent, sorry-excuse for a heroic cape?"

"Personally, I consider it quite striking. It is unlike anything I'd ever pictured you wearing, though I must say…it does speak to your personality." Quipped Yusuke giving the Wild Card an aside glance. "I take it this is 'Black Mask'?"

Futaba, Morgana, and Haru arrived not a moment later, all ready for a fight. Their reactions weren't that different from Makoto's. Goro paid their shocked faces little mind; he completely turned his back to them and made his way over to the Hashioka Family, a tight knot forming in his gut. What would they say to him? Would he do as he originally thought and break-off contact with him? Curse him for putting their lives in danger? Whatever decision they made, he'd accept. He had no right to argue with whatever choice they made for he deserved it.

Standing before the family of three, he opened his mouth to speak, but of course, Natsuo cut him off.

"That was awesome! You were awesome! That was the most craziest shit I've ever seen, a hundred times better than those stupid videos online!" Shouted the flame-haired girl grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him. "You, Goro, you're really it! You're really-"

"Phoenix Ranger Featherman Negative." Cut in the youngest member of the family, completely stealing the spotlight. Shuya didn't shrink under the attention, in fact, he kept his own on Goro. His piercing green eyes stared back at his through his lens. He frowned. "It…kinda looks like Negative's outfit…but…it also reminds me of a prison jumpsuit with the stripes."

A shocked breath escaped the runaway Wild Card. Bringing his hands up while looking down, he seemed to realize for the first time that the colored stripes of his "Black Mask" persona did indeed have stripes resembling those of prison jumpsuits. _It…it didn't always look like this, did it? I-I mean b-before when I first summoned Loki, it l-looked a bit different. I-It was definitely more like Featherman Negative's than a prison jumpsuit!_ His mind still a mess, Goro opened his mouth to speak, what he was going to say he had no idea.

"I think it looks more like a black knight, which is still pretty impressive."

The softness and encouragement of the voice, there was no way it couldn't catch the Justice-aligned Persona user's attention. As it did several others.

Expectedly, Haru kept her distance, and she had every right to. Still, she managed to meet Goro's gaze from beneath her hat. She looked just as nervous as he was. "Y-Your Black Mask outfit, I-I'm not quite knowledge in Featherman mythos, but I…do believe you look the part of a dark knight. Perhaps that's what your mind thought of to be a rebel when you awakened Loki."

"A dark knight moving through a shadowy other world dealing out death and despair." Clarified the oldest member of the party. As usual, he was taking everything…well; perhaps that was because his niece and nephew were now safe and whatever threats they'd previously faced eliminated. He seemed to be searching around in his pockets for a smoke. "All in a bid to bring down his true enemy at the cost of himself."

"Sounds pretty anti-heroic." Quipped Shuya with a ghost of a smile.

Goro's shoulders slugged. "You're mistaken, If anything, I'm more of a villain protagonist. There's nothing noble or just about my goals in case any of you have noticed."

"Who says anti-heroes have to always have noble or just goals? A lot of them don't before character development kicks in. That's what makes them anti-heroes!" Stated Futaba. Unlike Haru, she'd completely thrown caution to the wind and was now examining him like he was some sort of plastic model. It honestly felt a bit unnerving, so unnerving that Goro had to take a step back.

A soft hand fell on his shoulder. Immediately, he flared up.

"Hey, hey, relax! I just wanna make sure your injuries are healed! I already did the same for Natsuo!" Explained Ann. Something in her gut told her that things were happening a bit too fast for the black-garbed Persona user, a trait she'd seen before and could understand. "You threw around a lot of attacks and took some hits so you should probably take a second to let us heal you."

"Exactly." Echoed Morgana looking up at him with curious eyes. "You know, when I first met you, Crow, you seemed the calm and collected type…but you're real headstrong and determined guy, aren't you?"

Quickly, he looked away from the humanoid feline. Unfortunately, his reaction brought him nothing but snickering and laughter. Groaning, he knew that trying to stop it was something of a lost cause so he decided to move on.

Shuya stared at the what seemed to be a plastic toy that the teenage assassin offered him. "Thank you for…letting me borrow this."

Silence blanketed the fourteen-year-old as he glanced at the toy gun and the black knight who'd given it to him. He reached out, but not for the gun, but for Goro's hands. Pushing his arms back, he smiled. "You keep it, you…Goro, you need it more than I do. Besides, what's a sixth ranger without his own custom weapon?"

"W-W-What?" Stammered the brown-haired teen nearly losing his footing. "Y-Y-You're l-l-letting m-m-me k-keep it?!"

A gentle nod affirmed his decision leaving Goro speechless.

"Hm, sounds like you've got a brand-new firearm, and a pretty wicked one." Chimed a male voice that was unsettlingly close.

He blinked once before twisting his head to the left. From behind a white and black-colored mask a pair of gray orbs stared back at him. Goro reacted a second later, stumbling backwards and falling on his butt. Of course, it yielded a reaction, laughter, most noticeable from Ryuji who was close to tears.

"Really smooth, Bird Nose!" Howled the skull-faced teen.

"You realize I could shoot you from three different directions using this? Leave you an unrecognizable mess, right?" Sneered the runaway assassin.

"If you did that, it'd actually be an improvement over his usual appearance." Sniped Morgana causing the former track runner's ire to fall on him. "Hey, you're the one running away with a monkey's face so you don't have much room to talk!"

"Monkey face?! At least I'm a human-being with opposable thumbs!" Fired back the dyed-haired blond.

Morgana gave him a dismissive snort. "Shame you don't have the brain to use them effectively."

The final straw broke and the strong man of the Phantom Thieves was doing his best to capture the feline, cursing all the while. Of course, their comical chase and shouting match didn't go unnoticed. Just like that, amusement shifted from Goro's shyness to the now arguing pair. For the teenage thieves, it was a welcome sight, one that brought relief to them.

"I'm guessing they do this often? Something tells me those two butt heads every other day." Noted Natsuo helping the helmet-wearing teenager to his feet.

Surprisingly, he laughed as well. "Try every other hour, but I guess this shows that they're a resilient team. They're…they're capable, and I guess that's…Natsuo?" Hair standing up, he went on guard as he noticed the green-eyed girl was looking him over more closely, like he was a wrist-watch or something on display. "What is it, what's wrong?" He asked somewhat nervously.

Her hand was on her chin, an intense look on her face, for a while anyway. It deflated with a sigh. "Now that I get a better look at it, I'm kind of surprised. Never really figured you for the S&M type."

…

…

"WHAT?!"

Ryuji stopped trying to strangle Morgana, and the latter ceased in his furious clawing at the former's hands. Makoto, having heard the statement clearly, twisted her head around, her jaw dropped. Something told her that rather than the former runner and cat she was going to be breaking up the runaway hitman and his few female friend. The rest of the group looked on, equally shocked and now intrigued at the standoff.

"S-S-S-S-S-S&M?! W-W-What the hell are you talking about?!" Screeched the brown-haired teen.

Natsuo pointed to the dark gray buttons across running up his abdomen, as well as the various belt straps around his arms and legs. "Come on! Look at it! When you're in motion, it looks cool, but now that I see you standing still you look like a male hooker! I mean come on! Look at yourself, the buttons! The belts! The way it hugs your cute little ass!"

"Now that Natsuo mentions it, this outfit does make your bottom ready stand out." Came in Yusuke causing Goro to physically jump and stumble away. "I must say, your rear-end is quite pronounced; I'd also add that this form does bring out the true splendor of your hips."

"G-GAH!" A new wave of snickers and laughter rose up from the group. "F-F-F-Fox! W-W-Wait a minute, why the hell are you looking at my ass?! A-And my hips!"

"I actually agree with him on that part." Giggled Ann. "You've got some real bangin' hips, Akechi. Trust me, I know a few guys that would kill for hips like yours."

Haru put a hand to her lips in a vain attempt to stifle her laughter. It wasn't working. "Crow, you're blushing."

"I-I am not!"

"Yes, you are." Shot back Shuya with a blank face that caused his defenses to crumble even further. "Then again…I can kind of see what Natsuo's talking about. It does sort of explain a few things about you though."

"S-Shuya!" Goro cried. "Not you too!"

"You're really not helping your case." Of course, Natsuo just had to choose to pile back onto the mess she'd created. His scandalized expression seemed to only further fuel her. "You did agonize over this Akira guy when we found you. Even refusing to send him a text message like you weren't ready to accept that you were responsible for the break-up."

"S-STOP!"

Subconsciously, Goro's eyes darted to Akira's, as did several others. Practically everyone knew that he'd sent the almost the entire team and Sae text messages to let them know he was alright. Hell, Makoto knew that he'd sent her sister an apology and basically gave her free-reign to beat the shit out of him when they next met. But he hadn't sent Akira a message, he'd been too scared to.

Just as it seemed things couldn't get any worse, Jō decided to add his two cents in. "What do the kids call it nowadays? Ho Yay?"

"No!" Screeched the teenage detective.

"Actually, since they were actually enemies, I think it's more accurate to say it's Foe Yay." Corrected Shuya.

Now he was stumbling backwards, his hands clawing at his helmet-covered head as if it were suffocating him. Just barely stopping himself, he dared to peer towards the second source of this madness. Akira looked back at him with an infuriating emotionless expression that both amazed and terrified Goro. His hands stretched out and his mouth though no words left him. Goro's brain was at a crossroads between wanting to shut down and fighting to find some snappy come back to it all.

"Crow…while I'm flattered you feel that way about me." As if scripted by some unseen director, the black-haired teen turned his back to the group, his coat bellowing out as a blood-soaked train ran by the battle sight, its horn sounding all the while. "But I'm already involved in a relationship with someone. I'm sorry."

 _ **Thunk!**_

Black Mask, Crow, the Prince Detective, Goro Akechi, lay curled up on the ground, a look of comical defeat on his face as his fingers twitched, gasping at invisible things. Broken whispers and mutters left his lips as his associates watched on in amusement. One of them stepped forward.

"It's okay, Akechi. I'm sure you'll find someone one day." Offered Haru patting him on the shoulder. "If I may, Natsuo seems like a nice enough girl, and I think she likes you!"

The orange-haired girl who'd been shot less than half an hour ago leaned over him, a Cheshire grin on her face. "Never had a cosplaying boyfriend before, but I'm willing to give one a try. Even if he is a Super Sentai fan."

Eye-twitching, he looked up in the direction of the light-haired brunette. "If I get on my knees and beg, would you decapitate me? I'll even remove all my armor so you can get a clean cut. Afterwards, I'll even let you use my head as bowling ball."

Ryuji whistled only to get jabbed in the side by a still giggling Ann.

Akira glanced back at the scene with a smile. Things had obviously gone way off script, but he'd learned to go with the flow, after all, he'd learned that sometimes the unscripted life was better. During his time in Tokyo, Akira had come to believe that the unscripted life was the one for him. It was far too fun to give up. Granted, even he acknowledged that the lifestyle came with its share of curveballs. He was starting to reach his limit for the day.

 _We can't keep doing this. We have to find a way to get out of the Mementos. The longer we stay here the more danger we're putting the Hashiokas and ourselves in. Not to mention there's a chance that-_

 _ **Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!**_

It was more silencing than the sub-way trains, the roars of monsters and beasts, the howls of rage from men, and the deafening booms of explosions. The leader of the Phantom Thieves froze as all eyes went to him, large and alarmed. Mouths dropped as it dawned on the eight teens and the cat that a phone was ringing, _his_ phone. The Hashiokas looked on in confusion.

"Not expecting a call?" Inquired the retired hitman noticing the shocked expressions on the nine.

"P-P-P-Phones don't work in the Metaverse." Admitted Makoto looking to Akira with panic-stricken eyes. It was hard to blame her. "Ak-Joker,"

The fact that she nearly slipped and used his real name was an indicator of how deeply she'd been shaken. She was hardly the only one. Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew his phone. Unsurprisingly, the caller ID read "unknown", hell, the entire screen was black save for the green logo showing that someone was trying to contact him. The ring permeated the dark tunnel along with the groans of pain from the still-living thugs, all of whom had been chained up. Looking up from his phone, Akira looked to each member of his team. Finally, his eyes fell on Goro.

Only after his nod did he find the courage to swipe his finger across the screen and hold the phone up to his ear.

" _Who am I? How did I get this number? How am I able to contact you in the Metaverse? I'm sure those are all of the questions you're about to ask, but Joker, we are pressed for time so they'll have to wait for another day. Your team is in a stick situation, but there is a quick and direct way for you to break out of it."_

Akira felt a droplet of sweat pouring down his forehead and his hand tremble. While the voice on the other end sounded male, he'd learned to never take anything at one-hundred percent face-value. Unfortunately, as the voice said, he was pressed for time. Every second wasted was another everyone around him put in danger. "I'm listening." He said with gnashed teeth.

" _The jammer that is preventing your team from leaving Mementos. You can destroy it, you and Goro Akechi. Use your initial Personas, destroy the machine from the bottom level, then bug out. That is your best chance of escape. Good luck…and I look forward to meeting your team in person."_

He kept the phone pressed to his ear even as the line went dead. The rest of the group continued to stare at him in anticipation. There was so much he wanted to tell them all. But again, time was short.

"Can you summon Robin Hood?"

Goro's eyes widened then focused upon hearing his words. The air around the Justice-aligned teen shimmered, his black suit and helmet vanished in a haze of blue and red sparkles revealing his princely white and gold and red-accented uniform. Gone was the black helmet and back was the red-beaked mask.

"W-W-What the hell?!" Shouted Futaba, her goggles on and her arms spraying out. "T-T-These are-"

"Coordinates?" Akira answered causing the hacker, and everyone else to look toward him.

Shuya stepped forward, his eyes staring straight at him. "Was that a…friend of yours?"

Looking back at the fourteen-year-old, Akira answered back, "Apparently so."

* * *

"Are we absolutely sure this is going to work?" Makoto inquired for what felt like the tenth time. "Joker, this could be-"

"Queen, we don't have much choice." Akira affirmatively cut off. "I'm ready to see daylight again and so is everyone else. Crow, you ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Sighed the white-clothed teen. "Everyone, please start. It's high time we returned to the real world."

Everyone was in agreement with his words thus the Phantom Thieves spread out and began to play out their assigned roles. There was a visible air of paranoia in their actions as every time the team had had a break, it'd been interrupted, quite violently. In a repeat of their last encounter, they were going to get the drop on their pursuers, for the last time.

"Righteyo! Phantom Thieves, begin start up!" Exclaimed Futaba from the confines of her Greek-borne Persona. "Skull, Panther! Power up time!" As she spoke the words the hacker's fingers were moving across the keyboard, the final keystroke being punched in as she finished. Flames were expunged from the Titan, they quickly swirled around the two boys, both of whom had their hands on their masks, now glowing with azure light.

The two blondes looked to one another with matching grins before raising their hands upward. Behind them appeared their respective Personas, the Monkey King and Goddess of Magic. They too smiled as best they could before throwing their arms out, waves of pulsating red energy leaving their bodies and traveling along the ground…right into the bodies of Akira and Goro.

Around the pair exploded a maelstrom of azure flames that enveloped them almost like a flower coming into bloom. Its mystical glow completely and utterly enthralled onlookers, especially the Hashiokas who watched the spectacle with open-mouths and wide-eyes, even Jō, who kept his eyes focused on his unlikely protégé. Slowly, his lips curved upward into a smile.

"What is it? Something you want to say before we do this?"

Akira was surprised Goro caught his stray glances, or maybe not considering he was still somewhat on edge. After the little comedic act that was the reveal of his Black Mask form, the brown-haired teen had slipped back into his calmer demeanor. No, the Fool could say that he'd returned to it. Giving him a sideways smirk, he turned his attention back to the ceiling. "You look better in white than you do black." Was all he said.

Surprise momentarily colored the runaway Wild Card's face, then it melted away into a neutral frown.

Then it became a small and barely noticeable smile.

"Robin Hood!"

"Arsene!"

Side by side, the two Personas manifested, their bodies glowing with supernatural power in the forms of red and black for Arsene and golden yellow and white for Robin Hood. An arrow was notched on the archer's bow while the wings of the phantom thief burned with dark energy. Air cackled and exploded, releasing stone-rattling shockwaves in all directions. Lingering Shadows howled and turned their heads in both fear and curiosity at the twin flares of power that lit up Mementos like beacons. The beacons then turned into explosive flares.

Twin torrents of darkness exploded from Arsene's wings as he flapped them forward simultaneously with Robin Hood letting fly his charged-up arrow, a singular ray of light that illuminated the darkness as it traveled upward. Quickly, Arsene's red and black-colored blasts caught up to the arrow, and began wrapping around it. A mass of golden light cloaked by a swirling and cackling aura of dark energy penetrated the blood-caked ceiling, burrowing right through it like a drill. Stone and metal folded beneath the might of the combined attack as it traveled further and further up, eventually retreating its target.

Fittingly enough, the following explosion shook the upper level of the nightmarish world, and the level that the Phantom Thieves were standing on. Cracks manifested in the ceiling and chunks of it began to cascade downward scattering shrapnel about the area.

"We did it! The jammer's been destroyed!" Declared Futaba pumping her fist int the air.

"Then let's not waste in time! Everyone, gather around! We're leaving this place!" Barked Akira quickly spinning around to face the group alongside Goro. Quickly, the seven other Thieves and the Hashiokas closed ranks around the two of them forming a tight circle. Darting his eyes to his right, he saw Goro slip his hand into Natsuo's, who in turn was gripping her little brother who was also holding fast to their uncle. Shoulders tensed, he brought his phone up, the Metaverse app staring back at him. _Please, let this work!_ Thought the gray-eyed youth as he practically slammed his finger down.

The world around the group distorted and warped, colors bleeding out and the ground beneath them breaking apart. There was a snap like a rubber-band breaking, then the sound of glass shatter. After that came darkness.

* * *

 _ **Ichigaya, 3:48 PM…**_

"Gaaaaahhh!"

"Dammit!"

"I hate this sooo freakin' much!"

"Does this always happen?" Question Jō groaned rolling over onto his stomach and immediately pushing himself upward. "I lost my smokes."

"That's because Morgana is sitting on them." Quipped Akira Kurusu, his vision obscured by a blurry mess of colored dots that gradually faded allowing for him to see clearly. Beside him Morgana yelped in irritation as he rolled onto his legs, a squashed pack of cigarettes to his left. Once his vision was mostly clear, he twisted his head forward and back to do a headcount. In front of him Ann, Ryuji, Yusuke, and Haru lay in crumbled heap that they were slowly working their way out of. Looking to his left he spotted Shuya being cradled in the arms of Makoto, who herself looked rather dizzy. Lying beside her was Futaba, who shook her head back and forth splaying her orange hair back and forth. Finally, he spotted Goro and Natsuo, slowly rising to their feet. They were using each other for support. "Looks like everyone made it back in one piece." Smiled the glasses-wearing teen."

"You know, I think I've had enough excitement for one day." Stated the older Hashioka rubbing her head.

"Us too, I seriously don't think we've ever had to leave Mementos like that, at least not for a while." Groaned Makoto as she rubbed her eyes. Upon seeing the rest of the group safe and sound she let out a sight of relief. "But, like you said, we made it out alright."

"But what about those guys after us?" Asked Ryuji glancing around. They seemed to have landed in some bushes. Ahead of them lay a river, a familiar river for fishing as he and Akira had done several times. His strength back, he ran up the hilly slope to survey the area.

"Something tells me we lucked out. Hopefully they're still back in Mementos, no doubt wondering what just happened." Offered Yusuke.

"Then we better get moving." Akira noted seeing almost everyone back on their feet. His gaze fell on Goro, who returned it with a passive frown. "We're heading back to Leblanc, is that alright?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" Questioned the young detective, a second later and his expression fell. "Um, a-are you sure that Sakura-san would-"

"It'll be fine! If you want, you can even room with me and Sojiro at our place!" Exclaimed Futaba giving him a thumbs-up.

Goro gave the orange-haired girl something of a dry stare. "At the very least I didn't won't have to suffer through the…unsightly." He muttered causing Futaba and several others to look at him with bepuzzled expressions.

Getting the drift, Natsuo poked him on the cheek, a cheek now rife with dirt. "Hey, last I checked I held you up in my house so I'd appreciate a thank-you Mister Skin-Tights."

Returning her sideways glare, the male shot back, "Oh trust me, regardless of how much of a mess Oracle's room is it'll be an improvement over your cave of masked idiot riders."

"Hey! My room's not that messy!" Defended Futaba crossing her arms. "I've been cleaning it up a little!"

"Like that's done much good." Snickered Akira.

Seconds later and a comedic four-way argument broke out between the two orangettes and the Wild Cards, all within view of the rest of the group.

"Barely escape death and this is what they get up to." Chuckled Jō standing beside Makoto with a smirk on his lips. "You kids today really are something."

"Well, we've been called a wild bunch, the news called us everything from heroes to domestic terrorist." There was a beat. "I never thought being called that would leave me so…not-bothered." Admitted the brunette with slackened shoulders.

"That's because you've resolved to do what you think is right." Offered the older man giving her a light smile she surprisingly returned. "Once you've settled on a course of action, keep going no matter what comes your way. Keep that resolution, it's the greatest weapon you kids have got. Then again, all of this is coming from a hitman with a body count in the triple-digits so it's up to you to take it."

Makoto stood silent for a few minutes catching the attention of Yusuke and Shuya, who remained at her side. During her silence, he removed himself from her, taking his place in front of his uncle in an almost defensive position. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Natsuo giving the conversation a quick aside glance. She sucked in a breath before directly facing him. "Jō-san, all I have to say to you is…thank you. Thank you for helping us, thank you for looking after our teammate, and…thank you for keeping our secret."

He held up a dirty-covered hand. "Oh, it's no trouble. Believe me, I've kept worse secrets. You kids just have to promise me one thing." Expectedly, his words caught the eight teenagers and cat off-guard. All of them looked to him with curiosity at what his question was going to be. Jō looked to each of them with a smile. "Shido, make sure to kick his ass, will ya?"

Quickly, smiles and snickers rose from the nine Persona users. Similar expressions colored his niece and nephew.

"Oh, you know we will!" Boomed Ryuji slamming a fist into his palm. "Ain't that right, Akechi?"

Mouth agape, Goro stared at the jacket-wearing ex-runner. It wasn't until he felt the soft tap on his left shoulder was he able to muster up an expression-a smile. A real one. "R-Right, definitely."

"You know, you probably shouldn't be using his real name like that. We're still in public and on the run, idiot." Sniped Morgana causing Ryuji's face to screw up. In seconds, they were back to arguing with one another.

Shuya watched them with a petite smile on his face. "As soon as we're back in the real world he goes right back to sounding like a cat. Just when I was getting used to hearing his voice." Dropping to his knees, he began to collect his things, his sketchpads and other devices which had been scattered about. He was grateful that Futaba had held onto his things while he was captured, and they'd remained mostly unscathed.

Unexpected aid came in the form of the blue-haired sword-user. "Are you going to be alright? You've experienced quite a bit, Shuya."

"…It was actually kind of fun." Admitted the green-eyed pre-teen causing the painter's eyebrows to rise in surprise. "I mean, it's not every day a kid gets his family saved by a real life Super Sentai team."

Haru and Ann outright laughed in amusement while Futaba cocked her head to the side. "I always thought that about us too."

"Well, when you break it down, we sort of hit all the tropes, don't we?" Offered Akira giving his team a sweeping view. "And we now have our official sixth ranger."

"Now, if only someone had used the right comparison." Muttered said sixth ranger, looking the direction of a certain writer.

Natsuo sneered at him while crossing her arms. "Hey, I called it like I saw it. Really, your whole 'Black Mask' outfit made you look a helluva lot more like an evil knockoff Rider than anything! All you needed was some circuitry on you and you could have been a dead-ringer for Dark Kabuto."

Goro's eyebrow twitched. "Oh, so now you're comparing me to an alien bug? A fine way to thank you someone who just saved your life and that of your family."

Not one to be outdone, Natsuo leered at him. "Well, you told me you always felt like you were second best to Akira. You really made yourself sound like the Kagami to his Tendou. That still sounds better than being the Kusaka to his Inui."

An angry knot formed on the teen's brow. "First off, I am LEAGUES above that tie-wearing idiot!"

"But you've worn a tie as your usual outfit up until this point." Interjected Haru, not at all knowing what the conversation was about. She immediately regretted it as Goro's face fell while Natsuo's rose. "Um, sorry, perhaps I shouldn't have said anything."

"I seriously can't believe you guys are arguing over super hero shows here and now." Groaned Makoto placing a head to her forehead.

Jō snorted. "You oughta to have heard them while he was staying with us, or listen to these two." He finished pointing to his nephew and niece. "Personally, I'm more for Ultraman myself."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"What?" Defended retired assassin. "Just because I've killed people, broken up families, and ruined lives doesn't mean that I can't have interests and likes."

"As much as I'd love to sit here and continue to have a rousing conversation about actors in colored tights versus actors in big extravagant suits-"

"With stupid-ass belts." Sniped Goro.

"They're called Drivers, and they're ten-times cooler than those lame-ass morphers." Fired back Natsuo.

"But we should probably get going. The sooner we're out of the open, the better." Akira paused. "And we can get you out of that disguise, not that it doesn't look good on you."

"I hate you."

Following a quick wink, Akira got back on track. "We should get going."

"Then Shinjuku Station might be a good place for you guys to go." Jō said. "There should be a train running in little over half an hour. You can take one back to back to your side of the city where you'll be safe for a little while."

While in the bushes, everyone took the time to fix as much as of their clothing as they could. Or in Goro's case, fix his disguise which had begun to come loose. Haru stepped in to help him. Akira made a mental snap-shot of the near child-like blush that colored his cheeks in having the brunette heiress so close. Finally, they emerged from the bushes and returned to the sidewalk where they quickly blended in with the rest of the crowd. Doing so didn't cause any of them to let their guard down though. After what had turned out to be the last three hours, each and every one of them walked with a sense of near paranoia and alertness that persisted block after block.

Above their heads signs of the day's end could be seen. While it wasn't winter when darkness fell quickly, daylight would begin to dwindle soon enough. Darkness would gradually begin to creep along the skies and Tokyo's night life would begin to emerge. Both the Phantom Thieves and Hashiokas would feel safer if they were back home and safe when such things happened. Block by block, they all felt they were getting closer to those things.

Though it was turning into a fairly chilly afternoon, everyone was sweating. It was their nerves, no matter how hard they tried to suppress them.

Akira took note of several things as they walked. Goro never left Natsuo and Shuya's side. In fact, he spotted the locking of hands between the three. Equally so, he glanced to his left and saw Ryuji and Ann's hands brush up against each other. It was clear somewhere in their minds they were thinking about locking hands, as a security measure of course. Seeing it, he tried to ease his mind as Morgana was still tucked tight in his bag so he couldn't see the display. He didn't need to think hard about how he'd react to it.

 _Is this how it's going to be until we take Shido down? Looking over our shoulders like this?_ Wondered the glasses-wearing teen with a grimace.

Arsene appeared beside him, a repressed smile on his black face. With every step Akira took, black feathers fell to the ground marking his path. _**When you play the game, you must be prepared for the cost. Now that you have aroused the anger of that so-called king, he will be sending all of his forces after you. Use it as fuel, channel it, as you have done before.**_

He didn't give a snappy comeback as he knew his winged Persona was really trying to point him in the right direction. But he still had a very pressing present that he had to contend with. _I'm just hoping we can all make it back home without incident. I'm ready to hit the pillows, seriously._

They were almost two blocks away from the station when Goro decided to speak up after what had been a long and quiet walk. "I…we…I can go from here on my own. You three don't have to keep walking with me like it's my first day of school."

"Well, we could also be doing it because we're worried about you and wanna make sure get back safely." Softly rebuked Natsuo looking almost sorrowful. She knew that this was where they parted ways.

"We'll keep an eye on him." Akira spoke up causing the two teens to look to him. Interestingly, his fellow Wild Card didn't give him any backtalk, only a look of muddled confusion.

It didn't last long as Goro's attention was drawn to Shuya, who stepped forward. He looked more depressed than his sister. "You'll…come see us again, right? O-Or we can come see you if you want. We've visited people in prison before."

Natsuo lightly tapped her brother atop the head. "Relax, he's only seventeen-years-old, it's not like there's going to lock him away for life since technically he's still a minor." Just as quickly, her shoulders sagged. "I mean it's not like you'll be heading to supermax, will you?"

Crossing his arms, Goro gave a near wistful smile as he cocked his head in mock contemplation. "Well, I have killed ten plus people, some of whom were quite important and sent countless others to the mental asylum from which they may or may not leave. Not to mention I've caused thousands, perhaps millions in damages last but not least…I once stole a fine-silk tie from a department store without anyone noticing."

"Scandalous." Chuckled Yusuke.

"Yep, we've picked up a real evil mastermind here." Ann seconded while Ryuji snickered, giving the brown-haired teen a sideways smile.

Once the laughter ceased, Goro looked to the green-eyed girl with serene eyes. He couldn't recall the last time anyone had ever looked to him so worryingly. No, he in fact could, but he chose to block those memories from his mind as they were too painful. For years, he'd rain away from that pain, but something told him he couldn't afford to keep doing so. "I…we'll see how the future turns out, how about that? You're the one who told me to keep my head up, right? How's about you start taking your own advice." His right hand rose and fell over his heart. "This thing's still beating, so the game isn't over yet, so I'm going to keep going."

Her expression brightened. Gently, she took hold of his hand and opened his palm where she deposited something into it. Goro blinked in surprise at the coin now center of his palm before Natsuo closed his fingers around it. "Hold onto that then, for good luck, and a as reminder of the promise you made me."

"U-Um, I…I…here! T-Take this!" Suddenly shouted the younger Hashioka pushing forward a leather bag, one of three he'd been carrying on his person since they left the Hashioka house. "Y-You…um, said that you lost everything you had when Terashima bombed your apartment including your collection, your Precious. So…maybe you can…use these to start over."

 _Starting…over._ Mused the young detective taking the bag with trembling yet gentle hands. "Shuya…I…thank you, for…for everything." Following a quick nod, the younger green-eyed teen stepped back. His uncle stepped forward. "Jō-san, I…"

His hand was raised politely cutting him off. "Contact us once you're somewhere safe so we won't have to worry. If you ever need anything like a place to stay…well, you know where to find us. You remember the advice I gave you."

"…Yes sir, I do." Answered the seventeen-year-old standing upright as if he were addressing his senior. There was no need to ask if he still possessed the gun he'd given him, Jō could see in his eyes he did, and he was going to be holding onto it. "Thank you as well."

The street sign flashed white indicated it was time to part. That's what the Phantom Thieves did, albeit at a slow pace so their final member could take his time. He did, at first. The brown-haired teen stood right in the middle of the street looking back at the other side at the Hashiokas, who smiled back at him before turning their backs to him and walking in the opposite direction. Goro would have remained there if he hadn't heard the voice of Ryuji call out to him, seconds later and a car-horn blared.

"So, we spend almost three days looking high and low for ya, and you're shaking up with some ex-crime family and scoring a girlfriend." Snorted the ex-track star. "Real smooth, Akechi."

"Oh for Pete's sake, she's not my girlfriend! She's just a…a…she's a friend!" Defended the disguised runaway.

"Ah, so now you're willing to admit that you have friends. Does that mean you see us as friends?" Chided Ann giving him a vein-raising smirk. "You stuck awfully close to Natsuo and Shuya, not to mention you went complete ape shit when she got shot."

He could have gave an answer to her statement, but doing so would only have gotten him into hotter water. "An…um, thank you for…healing her."

"No problem!" She happily answered back. "Besides, it was nice seeing you get all flustered."

"Agreed. You should show that side of yourself a bit more often since it seems to be the real you." Echoed Makoto causing the laser-sword user to hunch his shoulders in embarrassment. "By the way, how come you're so defensive when it comes to Kamen Rider? I kind of like the series."

"Not to mention technically speaking, all of us are sort of 'masked heroes', though only Makoto is a 'Masked Rider' since she's got a bike for a Persona." Chimed in Akira.

"Can we please talk about something else!" Goro begged. "Gah, were you guys able to make any headway on Shido while I was…out of commission?"

It was Haru that answered him this time. "No, we focused all of our resources into finding you and making sure you were alright."

Coming to a complete stop, the teenager looked around at the group. Based on their faces, he could tell they were expecting some sort of hot retort regarding the stupidity of their decision. Goro could certainly feel such words on the tip of his tongue, but the they never came. Instead, his shoulders sagged, tension escaping his body. "You all…are really beyond my comprehension."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Chimed Morgana, popping his head out from Akira's bag. "Not everything in life will fall within your expectations, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing, is it?"

There was a pause before his response. In plain view of the eight other teenagers, and the cat, Goro allowed his lips to twist into a smile. "I…suppose you're right about that, Mona. Let's get going though, I actually think I could use a cup of coffee right about now."

"With a side of pancakes?" Offered Futaba with a snicker. Goro joined her.

"Now why'd you have to go and bring up food? I just remembered that I haven't eaten anything since breakfast this morning!" Groaned Ryuji.

"Then how's about we get something to eat while we're here." Suggested Haru as they passed through the doors and entered Shinjuku Station. As one would have expected, the station was fairly crowded, people getting off from work and teenagers like themselves from either school or other engagements. Seeing so many people going about their daily business caused Haru to breath out a sigh of relief. It seemed that they were finally out of the woods.

"Ryuji and Haru, if you guys want you can go get us something to eat. A snack or something to eat on the ride or something to nibble on." Commanded Makoto feeling very much the same way. "Akira, Futaba, and I are going to check out the train schedules to see which one we're taking."

"Finally!" Exhumed Ryuji already taking off with Haru at his side. "Hey, you guys want anything specific?"

"Nothing with peanuts in it." Goro drily replied looking around at the interior of the station. He remembered how after his apartment was bombed, he'd toyed with running away to one of the main train stations in the area. The idea was quickly squashed once he realized how big a target that would make him. Now, here he stood, albeit on his destiny was still uncertain. Raising his right hand, he stared back at the small object that Natsuo had placed in his palm.

"Looks like a coin, a Chinese coin." Came Ann's curious voice. "I'm guessing Natsuo likes collecting stuff like that."

Oddly, Goro didn't mind the slight intrusion of his personal space. Before, he certainly would have. "She does, her father…collected them for her on some business trips." It felt uncomfortable talking about the Hashiokas private lives without them being there.

"Based on the design, I'd say this is a Ming Dynasty coin, she must feel great trust in you to give you something like this." Came Yusuke's voice.

"Trust," Repeated the brown-haired detective. Hands clenching around the coin, he put it back into his pocket, where he hoped it would remain safe until a later time. It came at the right time as Goro felt a shiver run up his spine. _What the…_

He'd felt this feeling before, like ice spreading across his body. Quickly, it clawed its way inside to his heart causing it to slow to a crawl.

Sweat dripped down his cheeks and the sounds of the station distorted.

Twisting around, he looked in the direction that he and the others had come through. Dozens more had come and gone through the glass doors, and were still doing so. Watching them all, Goro felt time slow to a crawl.

It made picking out Terashima all the more easier.

At the very least he looked like he'd been through hell, just like Goro himself when he'd escape his interrogators. Seeing him confirmed his suspicions that their enemies had survived. And they'd tracked them down.

Terashima meant his gaze. And smiled.

 _Don't do it._

Several other men took up the hitman's side, all of them looking as worse for wear as their leader. Unlike Terashima though, they weren't smiling.

 _Don't do it. Don't do it!_

 _ **Goro!**_ Warned Robin Hood.

 _ **Here it comes! Brace yourself!**_ Seconded Loki, sounding as serious as the situation warranted.

Like a mantra, he kept repeating his desperate plea, almost letting it spill out of his mouth. His body, on the other hand, moved in a different direction. Both of his arms grabbed for Ann and Yusuke. Their cries of alarm barely registered as he pushed the both of them to the ground.

Behind him, a red aura flared up around Terashima, whose voice carried across the station like a hissing serpent. "Burn it all down, Flamma."

* * *

 _ **4:38 PM…**_

Akira literally felt his heart skip a beat before the explosive shockwave knocked him and Makoto and Futaba off their feet. It all happened in a literal flash. Their bodies crashed against the floor, just like everyone else's, as entire station shook. Akira's first thought was an earthquake, but the deathly chill that raced up his spine told him that it was something else, something more human-in nature.

 _They're here! They followed us!_ Realized the black-haired teen with horror. Within seconds, he was pushing himself up on his elbows. Alarms and sirens blared over his head, in front of him danced a familiar array of flames that at away at the interior of Shinjuku Station. Then he heard the sound of gunfire. Akira's eyes swelled to the size of dinner plates; he was now standing on both feet. "This is…this…"

 _ **This…my young friend, is what war looks like.**_ Finished Arsene with evident sorrow in his voice.

"A-A-Akira," Muttered a frightened voice causing the Wild Card to look to his side. Though he was relieved to see that both Futaba and Makoto were unharmed, mostly, it was compounded by the look of fear in the former's eyes. "T-That way…A-Ann a-and Y-Yusuke a-and Akechi a-are in that direction."

Instantly, his heart rate kicked up again. "Stay here with Futaba, get her out of here." Snarled Akira taking his first steps forward.

"What?! Akira, where are you going?!" Exclaimed Makoto.

"To go get our friends!" Shouted back the black-haired teen preparing to break into a sprint if not for two things. One was the crowd of panicked and cowering people in front of him. Two was the sound of gunfire causing said people to drop to the floor. His blood raced at the sound. This was the real world, not the Metaverse. There were no Personas, no supernatural powers.

He was just Akira Kurusu, a high school kid, not Joker, leader of the Phantom Thieves.

And that story went for the rest of his teammates. Except for maybe one.

* * *

 _ **4:44 PM…**_

"Ann! Ann! Ann!" Shouted the former Shujin track star as he sprinted as fast as his legs could carry him, pushing aside anyone and everyone who got in his way. At first, he'd bene disoriented by the blast like everyone else, but once he realized the epicenter of the blast was where Goro, Yusuke, and Ann were, all the fear and shock he felt went out the window. Not even the sound of gunfire was enough to detour him.

Having been through enough fights in the Metaverse he recognized what a fire fight sounded like. Except this wasn't the Metaverse, it was the real world. That should have made him move with caution, but it didn't.

He was fighting against a massive crowd that was pushing in the opposite direction, at least for a little while. Suddenly, a second gale blew across the station, throwing aside several people as if they were rag dolls. Ryuji's eyes widened as he spotted a familiar red aura. _T-T-T-Th-That's…no way! This is the real world, not Mementos! We can't summon our Personas, it's-_ Recalling Goro's explanation about Terashima and how he destroyed his apartment.

 _ **Will that stay your hand, oh warrior of lightning?**_

It seemed as if everything around Ryuji froze, like someone just hit pause on the entire world. Save for one thing-a blue butterfly that fluttered about before his eyes. _Wh-What the hell?!_

 _ **His power, does it frighten you? Will you allow this wall to be what stops you from moving forward?**_

 _Like hell I will! I don't care if it's the real world or Mementos, I won't stand by while these assholes tear the city apart! And I sure as hell won't sit on my ass while my friends are in danger!_ Roared back the dyed blond.

A trail of blue sparkles danced in front of Ryuji. _**Then go forth, ye of the Chariot. Go with the strength that you have nurtured…use it to protect that which you have come to cherish.**_

The butterfly was at his shoulder, yet Ryuji felt like it was a human hand touching him. A soft and warm hand, like his mother…or even how his father used to. It somehow transmuted into strength allowing for him to push forward, even as more shockwaves broke the tore through the train station. Above him, sprinkles suddenly switched on.

 _Hang on guys! Hang on!_ Yelled the teen as he ran forward, a trail of azure sparkles marking his path.

* * *

 _ **4:53 PM…**_

Goro knew that this was where he was going to die. All the signs pointed to it.

At the very least he'd been able to send Yusuke and Ann away to safety before engaging Terashima and his goons. Looking back, it all felt so surreal, pushing them away with his gifted bag before whipping out the Glock 19 and squeezing the trigger. He scored one immediate kill shot. Goro felt next to nothing watching the head jerk back, a plume of red and pink being expunged outward. It barely even registered in his mind that he'd just shot someone in public.

Then again, everyone around him was more preoccupied with the flames, shockwaves, and gangsters now firing at him. His instincts took over from there, sending him sliding to the side to avoid being shot full of holes.

Terashima stayed on him though, firing at him with his revolver, each shot a thunderous crack which made his heart jump. His running did little good as Terashima summoned his Persona again, and just like before, Flamma send an energized slash blasting through Shinjuku Station, tearing the floor, ceiling, and railways as if it were all nothing. Goro's anger burned, but he knew short of killing Terashima himself there was nothing he could do.

 _ **THUMP!**_

His back hit the ground sending a quick jolt of pain through him. Black spots danced about his vision as he struggled to rise up. _He's…he's not aiming at me! Or any of us! He's just doing this for kicks!_ Terashima's last attack had been wild and reckless, the aftershock knocking Goro off of his feet and sending him sailing through the air. His fists tightened while he fought to rise.

A rough hand seized him by the throat and lifted him off the ground. Then slammed his back into it. Goro felt his pistol clattered out of his hands seconds before a rough fist slammed into his cheeks. A series of blurred words clawed at his ears, curses.

 _ **Boom! Boom!**_

The ground shook, or perhaps that was just simply what he perceived to be happening, his head was picked up and slammed back against the ground repeatedly. White-hot agony exploded through his skull as the pain raddled his brain. Through colored spots, he looked up and saw a furious, blood-caked face with a pair of green eyes staring back at him. Rage exploded within him and fueled his actions. Instead of a fist, he used two fingers, they hit the man's right eye dead on temporarily stunning him. Quickly taking the opportunity, he pushed the man off of him then scrambled for his gun.

 _ **Bang!**_

His attacker stumbled backward, a bloody hole in the side of his neck. He fell to the floor, blood pooling around his head.

 _ **SMACK!**_

"Argh!" His cheek hit the ground, pain again ringing through his head. Not letting it take complete hold of him, Goro kicked out with his legs. He heard his attacker fall to the ground, cursing at the lucky blow. Again, the teen scrambled for the Glock 19 within his view. Snarling, he twisted his body and leveled the barrel at the dawned gangster who'd blindsided him.

 _ **CLINK!**_

"Shit." It was amazing how calmly the word flowed out of his mouth. Perhaps it was like some of those cases where death row inmates found peace in their last moments of life, acceptance.

His attacker grinned at him with a mouth full of blooded teeth. "You little shits were all big and bad in that other world, but not here! In the real world that's all you punks are, kids!" In his right hand was a wooden bat with smidges of blood on it, his probably. In his other was a pistol he leveled at Goro's head. "Game over, ya' little piece of-"

"Hey! Asshole!"

In the real world, thanks to his leg injury, Ryuji couldn't move as fast as he used to. But he could still make his legs work in ways that could turn heads and catch attention. It certainly caught Goro's. One minute he was staring down the barrel of a gun, and the next the gun's owner was on his backside, having been decked hard by the high school delinquent, who was now raining down blow after blow. It was after on decisively fierce punch that Goro saw managed to knock teeth out did the struggle come to an end.

Ryuji stood upright, his clothes torn, dusty, and his face caked with blood, either his own or belonging to Goro's would-be killer. He stumbled as the positioned himself in front of Goro, his right hand stretched out.

"You…ok…ay?" He huffed out.

Goro looked at his hand, then at him, his eyes wide and his jaw hung open. "H-H-Haru-"

"I sent her to go look for the others." Ryuji explained in a strained voice. "A-Ann and Yusuke-"

"I did the same." Answered back the brown-haired teen finally taking hold of his hand and allowing the dyed blond to help him up. "R-Ryuji, we have to get out of here, now!"

"Yeah, no shit dude!" Exclaimed the younger teen. "We-"

"Hey, boys! Glad I found you! I was worried that you'd run off and I'd lost-"

"SHUT THE HELL UP, YOU SICK BASTARD!" Ryuji's voice shook the air like thunder nearly deafening Goro, who stood within feet of him. He felt his entire body shake from the vibrations of the runner's voice. Blue light lit up his brown eyes while his hair suddenly stuck upwards. Goro's jaw dropped as he watched the upper body of Seiten Taisei manifest, his prized staff reared back. Half a heart-beat later and the weapon was thrust forward, fast as lightning.

Terashima was caught off-guard by the swiftness of the attack. His face had a splint second to register the shock before he was completely railroaded by Ryuji's attack in the same way his compatriot had bee. The tiled floor completely and utterly shattered as the ethereal staff plowed onward.

"Glad…that you didn't use an electric attack." Why was he laughing at a time like this?

Whatever madness had gripped him apparently took hold of Ryuji for he started laughing too. "T-That would h-have turned out pretty bad, w-w-wouldn't it?"

Water conducting hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of volts of lightning in an enclosed space filled with hundreds of people. Such a near goof-up would forever remain between the two boys, who quickly turned their backs to the wreckage and began to move forward as best they could.

It wouldn't be long before the police arrived, and when they did, the Phantom Thieves had to be gone. Far, far gone.

"Ryuji! Akechi! Where are you guys!" Screeched a familiar feline voice.

"Mona! Over here!" Called Goro desperately looking around for the black-furred feline. Finally, he spotted him, jumping and bounding through the cracked floor and dozens of screaming citizens.

"You…you guys! We gotta get out of here, now!" Yelled the blue-eyed cat.

"Yeah, no shit, furball!" Fired back Ryuji before throwing one quick cautionary glance at their six o'clock.

"You don't understand!" Morgana shot back causing both boys to flinch at the level of distress in his voice. "It's…it's…it's Akira!"

Both boys didn't just flinch, they felt their hearts stop.

Goro hid his pistol and grabbed Morgana and began to run. Ryuji did likewise. Both of them had eyes wide as the moon and heart thundering in their chest.

* * *

 _ **Takemi Clinic, 5:14 PM…**_

When Tae received a mysterious phone call telling her that a package would be arriving at her clinic's front door, she knew something was up. A minute later and she opened said door and indeed, there was a package waiting for her. Opening it, her eyes narrowed as she found it to be full of brand new and somewhat high-end medical equipment, some of which she recognized. All of her internal alarms were beginning to sound off.

Then she turned on the TV and they all exploded at once.

Shinjuku Station had been attacked.

Tae froze right then and there watching the live coverage of the scene, seeing smoke and fire rose up from one of Tokyo's most-well known and busiest metro stations. Her mind jumped to one person, a certain fuzzy and black-haired teenager who'd wormed his way into her world and her heart. Immediately, her hands went to her phone, her fingers dialing his number and her hands shaking as she waited for him to pick up.

He never did.

"Akira…" His name had slipped through her lips before in the same worried tone, but this time, Tae could practically feel the demon known as fear gripping her heart tighter than ever before.

It was sweet relief when she finally received a text message asking for her to open the backdoor to her clinic. Tae practically bolted from her chair and raced through the hallways to the door and unlock it.

The fear instantly turned to horror and confusion.

"Hey…honey." Groaned the secret boyfriend of the back alley doctor with a pained grin. "As you can see…I've…kinda got myself a little banged up…and could use some help. You're not-"

"Get him inside! Now!" Barked the blue-haired woman to the two teenagers carrying the Wild Card. More accurately, she issued the command to the entire group of eight teenagers and cat, all of whom who looked exactly as she'd expected-like they'd just been through hell.

Quickly, the eight obeyed her words. From side glances Tae could tell that they were all doing their best to hold it together, but it was clear that the eight teenagers were at their limit for the day.

A grazed wound on his left side abdomen, a stab wound on his left forearm, and lastly a gunshot wound to his right shoulder. All of them had been hastily treated on the way over. Tae didn't bother with any snappy comments or remarks as the man who'd stolen her heart was lowered onto operating table so he could be treated.

"You two," She called to the female red-eyed brunette and blue-haired artist she'd been told about. "Help me with this." Without a word of protest, they began to follow her instructions to the letter. The rest of the teens broke away, their exhaustion catching up to them.

"I…I can't believe that just happened." Muttered the pig-tailed blonde, her arm wrapped around the orange-haired Futaba Sakura. She was damn near hyperventilating.

"H-H-He's going to be o-okay, r-r-right? Right?" Questioned the hacker.

Tae spared the girl a sideways glance, her harden expression softening. "He will be once I'm through with him. The rest of you, I'll be with you all in a second."

Trotting up to the fear-racked shut-in, Morgana purred. "It's going to be okay, Futaba. If there's anyone who can keep Akira alive, it's this woman here." His words put her at ease if only just a bit. "What about the rest of you, are you all alright?"

"A-A little shaken, b-but I'm…I'm good." Answered Ryuji, leaning against the wall with wobbly knees. He was probably going to have to sit down any second, but until then he was going to remain standing, at least until his best friend was out of the woods.

"A-As a-a-am I." Repeated Haru. Like Futaba, she too was visibly and emotionally shaken, and she had every right to be. Still, she was attempting to hold herself together, if only for the sake of her teammates. "A-Akechi, what about-Akechi?"

Slowly, all eyes turned to the runaway assassin, who was rubbing the back of his head with an absent-minded expression. Only when he noticed everyone staring at him did he stop and remove his hand. "O-Oh…oh…crap." He muttered seeing the red stains across his hand. "Guys, I feel…a bit…li…"

"AKECHI!" Shouted Ryuji, bolting across the small room to grab him as his legs gave out beneath him. "Ah shit! Hey! H-He's bleeding! His head's bleeding!"

Tae's face paled even further. "There's a second bed over there!"

Goro remembered Ryuji moving his body, then a second set of hands were helping him. He heard a frantic female voice-Haru's.

 _I killed her father in cold blood…and she's helping me instead of taking a scalpel and slitting my throat._ His darkening mind thought. At some point, his feet left the ground and his back was placed against something soft. Darkness began to more intensely eat away at his vision. _They're all…worried about me._ Deduced the brown-haired youth as his hearing began to go out on him as well. A myriad of panicked voices were shouting back at one another. _You all…truly are beyond my comprehension._

And with that, the Justice-aligned Wild Card followed after his Fool-aligned counterpart. Together, they descended into the dark realm of the of the subconscious.

* * *

 **That ends the first quarter of this story, took a bit longer than I wanted, but there it is. As you probably should know by now the action in this story won't be limited to the Metaverse. Every faction is playing for keeps, which means they aren't going to stop in the real world where the Phantom Thieves don't have the powers of their Personas to aid them.**

 **To be truthfully, the events of this chapter were kind of where I started planning out this story. From Goro and Natsuo's…conversation to the little comedic banter to the scene at Shinjuku Station. As I've said, I'm using the older Persona games such as 1 and 2 as a basis, for that scene, two since it involved the real world and the destruction wrought during the story line eventually piling up and having an impact on the plot. While I like all the modern games, I will say that I would like a Persona game that goes back to the originals, no alternate or mental worlds but fighting taking place in the real world with real-world effects and consequences. On a last note, most of it was thought up while I was listening to the main theme of Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse; I wanted to create a feel where the Phantom Thieves don't really win, but just barely manage to survive by the skin of their teeth after going through several bad situations. Finally, there's the conflict still isn't over and there's more danger to come.**

 **Regarding the phone call, as the summary for this story says, two players are now on the board and changing the game up. One of them will be assuming the role of "Big Good" since they've dealt with Personas and world-ending threats before. As for who that person will turn out to be, well, you all will have to wait and see.**

 **Kudos to those of you who caught the Kamen Rider references this chapter! I really wanted to unload on them and got the chance to!**

 **Next chapter will be a cool down from this mess as well as start moving things in a new direction as the fallout from Terashima's "stunt" is shown.**


	24. Chapter 23-The Stormy Horizon

**Hey, everyone! Last chapter certainly ended on one hell of a cliffhanger, didn't it? We're picking up where things left off and moving onto the second quarter where we'll be seeing our favorite band of phantom thieves doing what they do best-stealing hearts, getting into trouble, and annoying the crap out of each other.**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 23-The Stormy Horizon**

For a few precious seconds, all Akira heard was silence, sweet blissful silence. Then of course, it ended. Clawing at his ears was the familiar rattling of chains, chains he knew all too well. There were times he rose with a groan and times he rose with silence of his own. Given how he'd spent his last waking moments, he went with the former.

"You guys sure do know when to call me here, are you psychic?"

"Chatty, aren't you, Inmate? Do you want to do something to correct that for ya'?" Came the biting voice of Caroline.

"You mean come in here and give me a message? I knew you cared, but truly, this warms my heart." He didn't get up, or even open his eyes. There wasn't any need to. The voice of the baton-wielding twin was loud and clear in his ears, so much so that he could perfectly picture her screaming face, spit practically flying from her lips and veins propping across her neck and forehead. Along side the shouts were the sound of her baton slamming against the bars again and again, electrical surges racing up the metallic chains with nowhere else to go. It was all such sweet music to his ears.

Finally, Akira popped one eye open, bolts of electricity were still racing up, down, and across his cell door. Behind it, a vastly deflated Caroline merely huffed and glared at him. If she could have, she'd gladly unlock the cell door and rip him to shreds with his bare hands, alas, such a thing was as about likely to happen as Justine cracking a joke. Glancing the way of the clipboard-carrying sister he saw that little had changed. There was a slight chance he missed the amused chuckle she got in watching her sister get riled off. That, Akira was sad he'd missed, but he liked to think it brightened up the mood. His cracks in, he rose upright and made his way up to the ceil bars. He was now ready.

"Igor, I'm really hoping you've got some advice for me, advice I can use." Spoke the black-haired teen turning his attention to the long-nosed man.

"Advice? Yes, perhaps that is something I can give…to the both of you considering your paths have taken unexpected and…undesirable turns. Have they not, Trickster, Lost One?" Chuckled the suit-wearing entity. His laugh somehow seemed even creepier than it had previously been.

His words caught Akira's attention and made his heart stop. The pieces clicked together and his eyes began darting around the circular chamber. A shout rose in his voice, only to die down as his ears finally picked up a familiar groan. Looking to his left, he called out, "Goro! Goro, you there!"

"Yes, I am, and thanks to you I have a rather lovely headache, thank you." Sighing in relief at the sarcasm-laden answer, the Fool-aligned team began to relax a little. It wasn't a full view, but he could see his brown-haired counterpart coming up to the bars like him. Their cells were somewhat parallel to one another allowing for the two Wild Cards to catch a glimpse at one another if at least from the corner of their eyes. As his head stopped throbbing, the Prince Detective was able to fully absorb his surroundings. Scouring a glance around the Velvet Room, he stopped at Akira. "Hm, what'd you say to piss Caroline off?"

"She offered me a message." Coolly answered the gray-eyed teen.

"Caroline," began the brown-haired teen with an infuriating charming smile on his face, his head cocked to the side. "Surely you can offer me one of those too? Haven't I been a good inmate to you and your sister since coming here?"

"Gaaaaah! Shut-up! Both of you, just shut the hell up before I bust into your cells and paint them red with your blood!" Screeched the baton-wielder, her face comically expanding to the size of a car door and flames shooting from her left eye.

"If you don't reign in your temper, it'll be bad for your blood pressure." Innocently interjected Justine causing her sister to snap at her. She completely ignored her and looked between the two imprisoned boys, her right eye distant and unfocused. "You two…two…two…time has passed…since…there has been more than-"

"Trickster, Lost One." Boomed Igor drawing all attention to him. Immediately, the two girls went silent while the boys braced themselves. They knew something was coming, something that likely didn't bode well for them. "Your paths…have intersected…and become intertwined, a most unexpected development. Lost One, you proclaimed that you cared not rather your path led to glory or ruin, only if your end goal was met. Trickster, you previously walked the path heading towards glory, but now…your road has become muddled. Quickly, you both must untangle yourselves least your journeys end in tragedy."

"I believe there's been some confusion, _my_ journey is going to end in tragedy, one way or another." Barked Goro. "This lunatic is the one at fault for entangling us all in this mess so if there's anyone you should be lecturing-it should be him."

"Hey, that's a fine way to thank someone who saved your ass. Here I was thinking we were making progress." Akira half-hearted sniped back. His attention turned from his counterpart back to the man who held the reigns to both of them. "You know…all this time, and you never really explained to me what 'glory' entailed. Lately the idea's become a bit more…mudded if you don't mind me saying."

"So," started the hunched over man, his eyes boring into Akira's. "You wish to turn back?"

"He never said that." Quickly, Igor's eyes shifted to Goro. As he'd learned how to, he stood resolute before the sharp gaze of the master of the Velvet Room. The way he looked at him was nothing new, it was actually quite atypical, reminding him of the smug and dismissive glares of Shido and his associates. He hadn't bent before, and he wasn't going to bend now before this otherworldly deity. "Neither of us have any intention of turning around. So what if we've gotten tangled up, we still know where it is we're going so I don't see the problem."

"Can a snake that has wrapped itself up in a ball ever hope to snatch prey to survive?" Igor fired off.

"It can if it's patient. An inch can mean all the difference between life and death." Added Akira. While somewhat less aggressive, his eyes were no less resolved than his Justice-aligned counterpart. "Maybe we've tangled ourselves up, maybe we haven't…it doesn't really matter because neither of us plan on stopping until we've reached our goal. It doesn't matter what gets in our way…or who, we're not going to stop. Maybe glory isn't waiting for us at the end…but that doesn't scare us. People like us…things like 'glory or ruin' mean about as much to us as poetry from a trout."

Silence reigned within the Velvet Room save for the ever-present rattling of the chains. It was ominous, more ominous than it had ever been. Caroline and Justine looked uncomfortable in it all, nervously shuffling their feet. The normally fiery Caroline was looking between the ground and the two prisoners. Those few times her gold-colored eye came upon their faces, something inside her chest fluttered. She attacked them, barked at them, yet never once had either of the boys broke. They were strong; such traits manifested on their faces as they silently waited for whatever came next. Opposite of her, Justine could do nothing but stare at the two in open-mouthed shock. Words seemed to be building in her throat only to never make it out. Rather nakedly, the quiet twin's eyes and face shimmered with admiration.

Their "master" was an entirely different story. Though his face was one of stone, his aura more than gave away his true feelings. Igor was not happy. Cold white eyes silently moved between the two boys, almost as if attempting to break them with a glare. It wasn't going to work now or un the foreseeable future. The two teenagers stood firm behind the bars of their cells. Though prisoners, it almost seemed as if they were somehow usurping power from the master of the pocket dimension.

Such a thing was unacceptable in the eyes of said master.

Slowly, his right hand fell atop the wooden desk, his skinny fingers drumming along the smooth surface. "Foolish. Foolish, foolish, foolish, foolish, foolish." Repeated the suit-wearing man in an icy calm voice. Beads of sweat began to pour down the Wild Cards as they both could sense the calm before the storm. They weren't exactly in ideal positions to fight back, but they stood ready showing such limitations weren't going to stop them. "Foolishness…but such things are to be expected from mortals…so weak and pitiful…but some…some seem able to subvert the pattern by this pathetic notion of 'willpower'. Goro's face screwed up at the condescending tone of the realm master. A quick look from Justine and his glare slackened somewhat. "You two…seem to be two such people…the wills that you posse…apart you could have clashed and hardened one another like a glorious blade to be left and used to cut down your enemies."

"But we could have broken each other…then the ones we're both after would continue to stand." Countered the brown-haired Wild Card. "And who says we won't continue to sharpen ourselves? Just because we're on the same side doesn't mean we're not going to keep growing." A familiarly haughty laugh left the teenage detective's lips. "I myself have no intention of losing out to my rat-haired counterpart."

Akira's brow ticked as he leaned against the bars, a crocked smile on his face. "It's my personal sense of style, the ladies actually find it quite charming ya' know. Besides, it's a much better draw than some stupid tie."

"Well, excuse me for wanting to look professional." Defended the sword-user.

"Screw professionalism." Snorted Caroline, having suddenly regained her ability to speak and openly emote. "Besides, you could learn a thing or too from Inmate A," Quickly, she looked away, her baton twirling in her head. "You…Inmate B, you're more likable when you're you, shitty-faced and all."

Admittedly, the detective was caught off-guard. "I'm…you…wait a minute, Caroline, have you been watching me?" A slow forming smile materialized on Goro's face. "Why, Caroline, it warms my heart to know you've been thinking of me."

"I-I-I-I have not! Y-Y-Y-You stupid-ass shitty-haired inmate! Hey! Stop laughing! Inmate B, do you want me to come in there and smack you upside the head?!" Flustered the baton-wielder.

"Guess that'll just leave you and me, Justine, unless you plan on joining your sister." Akira mused.

The braided-haired twin looked confused as she looked over her now foaming double. "Joining…my…joining…my…my…"

"Enough!"

Dropping like a hammer can Igor's voice, lacking any sort of humor or mock kindness it might have previously held. "Very well then, should you two choose to continue walking this path…then so be it. Only know this…the road ahead has grown more daunting, to endure it…you will need power, power that lies just within your grasp. Trickster, Lost One…seize that power!"

Both Wild Cards felt their chests suddenly tighten up as the scene before them changed in the literal blink of an eye. Standing, no, trapped near the center of the chamber were their Personas. Arsene remained completely and utterly relaxed while being strapped to what was without a doubt an electric chair, all the wires and circuitry gleaming and ready to be fired up at a moment's notice. To his right lay Robin Hood and Loki, hunched over and their heads in notches while the gleaming silver guillotine blade hung over their heads. Like Arsene, they too looked disturbing calm for such a situation.

 _" **Robin! Loki! So good to see you both again, though I do wish the setting was better!"**_ Exclaimed the hat-wearing Persona.

Surprisingly, Robin Hood chuckled. _**"You can't say such a meeting isn't unexpected, after all…people such as us are only ever likely to meet in a few places, are we not?"**_

 _" **Spoken like a true outlaw, and Robby, thanks for including me!"**_ Giggled Loki before directing his attention to the two boys behind the cell bars. Their blank stares were enough to make the Norse god howl in amusement. _**"Boys, lovely little declarations you both gave! We all know we knew there was something special about you two the moment our fates became intertwined."**_

 _"_ ** _Akira,"_ **began the French phantom thief. _**"That speech you gave was quite moving. I'd wipe a tear from my eye, but well, as you can see…my hands are somewhat tied. Speaking of which, how's Tae doing? After that little tryst at Shinjuku Station something tells me you two aren't going to be able to dance the-"**_

"Arsene! Seriously, now isn't the time!" Cried out the black-haired teen damn near bashing his head against the bars.

Goro's reaction was quite different. "Oh no, please go on. Don't mind the rest of us. I mean, it's not like any of this is being jotted down and used for ammunition later on." His cheeky grin all but confirmed that's exactly what the runaway assassin was mentally doing. It made Akira groan while the Personas merely laughed in amusement. After a moment or two, Goro felt he'd gotten his cracks in then directed his attention towards Igor. "Alright, we've been through this. Release them, all of them."

"Huh?" Questioned Akira.

"As I said, the road ahead of you two has become twice as perilous thus you must prepare. You need power." Pressed the long-nosed man.

"I…I…"

"We already have power." Akira finished. His right index finger was directed toward the flame-faced thief lying strapped in the chair. "Those guys are proof of that."

"These pathetic…wretches…these rebels…these fools…you'd continue to rely on them for power?" Igor seethed looking to the three Persons with pure disdain. Only Robin Hood returned it with an open glare, Arsene and Loki looked to him with grins of audacity. All three were baiting him into flipping the switch himself. For a minute, it looked like he was really going to do it.

But the two Wild Cards had other ideas.

"So, you're calling us weak, are you? Haven't we proven ourselves enough?" Akira coolly fired off trying the seated man's attention towards him. "We've made it this far, growing, changing, and we're still here."

"And we're going to keep going, keep on learning so we can survive…and reach our goal." Continued Goro, his red eyes equally cold and focused. "You can keep us going around and around…but our answer's never going to change." Just like before, his emotions crept into his voice. This time, the emotion wasn't anger…it was resolve. The feeling steeled him as it'd done several times, when he was protection the Hashiokas and fighting alongside the Phantom Thieves.

Briefly, the chains around the Velvet Room rattled before coming to a complete stop.

Without warning, wood and metal scraps exploded outward in all directions. Caught completely off-guard, Justine and Caroline hit the ground, their alarms voices resounding through the Velvet Room. It was quite a thing to see them both panicked and completely and utterly at a loss for words. In contrast, their master looked less than amused at the sudden display, remaining perfectly calm and expressionless throughout the whole thing. His bulging eyes watched the three spirits return to their original place, at the side of their masters, no, their human halves. All of them were in "ball form", their distinct features evident. Arsene's sphere glowed a mixture of red and black, his feathery wings casually beating against the air. On either side of Goro floated a gold and white sphere with a blue cape and a monochrome sphere with a long braid and horns.

 _" **You can do this as many times as you'd like, but their resolve will not be shaken."**_ Chimed Loki.

 _" **Surely you are not arrogant enough to believe that this game will end with these two bowing out."**_ Chuckled Arsene.

" _ **The game goes on."**_ Declared Robin Hood. **_"Do you have it in you to continue to oversee it?"_ **

Akira and Goro were sure they saw it-the golden rim around Igor's eyes. It sent their blood racing and their hearts quickening. Both felt like they were in combat, but in defenseless positions that all but begged their enemy to attack them. Said attack was seconds away from hitting, and it would likely be a one-hit kill. Their odds of avoiding it were slim to none. If not avoid it, then they decided they were going to tank the hit. Their decision did not please the long-nosed man, whose face grew darker, an invisible but palpable aura of malice swelling up around him.

For a hot second, Akira and Goro cold have sworn they saw a pair of wings uncurling from Igor's back. The vision was gone as soon as it materialized leaving them both rubbing their eyes.

Caroline and Justine stood frozen in a near robotic trace, their respective eyes bare of focus and life. Igor looked back from the space between them, his mouth hidden by his folded hands.

"Then continue…and be weary, for from here on out…the stakes have been raised."

Slowly, the right hand rose and lastly fell against the desktop. A single finger rose then fell, the resulting sound seemingly thunderous and echoing in the circular chamber. Akira and Goro felt all of their senses fading, their stomachs churning like they'd just ingested sewage water. Both felt a set of hands on their backs, then came darkness.

* * *

"Ooooh, shit, I can't remember the last time I've felt like this." Groaned the Shujin student, colored spots dancing in his vision so much that he was tempted to keep his eyes sealed shut.

"The last time you woke up, which was likely this morning?" Came an equally pained albeit humorous voice that caught Akira's attention. Chuckling, he rose, fighting off the pain and lingering nausea. Almost immediately, he felt his right shoulder flare up in pain. "You shouldn't be moving around; you took a bullet to the shoulder that didn't come out until after we got here. You lost a lot of blood."

It all came back to the black-haired teen as the pain ebbed and flowed through him. One reckless stunt after another, all while the world, the real world, descended into chaos around him. Following the first shock wave, everything had exploded into mayhem around him, Makoto, and Futaba. People were screaming and panicking and running in all different directions; everything was only made worse when the ground shook again and more explosions rocked the subway. After the first one he'd coldly realized they didn't have access to their Persona powers in the real world, but the enemy, this Terashima nutcase, did, and was willing to use it. The gangster had quickly fanned out afterwards, looking for them but perfectly willing to harass the bystanders caught in the crossfire.

From there, it had merely become a slaughter, one he'd tried to stop in spite of his powerlessness. For his efforts, he'd gotten stabbed and shot at, this time without the protection of his armor. Strangely, Akira could perfectly recall it all with crystal clarity-the knife that plunged into his left forearm, the flashes of the gun muzzles, and the screaming of those around him. None of it stopped him though. Akira wasn't sure what was responsible, the sheer adrenaline or the tempered resolve he carried with him in and out of the Metaverse, but he fought through it all. His arms and legs had moved about, all directed by second-to-second decisions and impulses that had somehow kept him alive.

Albeit now that it was over, he realized how incredibly reckless he'd been. Without a doubt, his girlfriend was going to give him an earful over said recklessness. And some other things.

"I killed people." He said sitting completely upright, his eyes facing forward. One glance and he could tell that his team's sudden arrival had thrown things out of order. Things had been moved and thrown about as if to make space for what had clearly been a large number of people. Glancing down at his right arm, he wasn't at all surprised to find it in a sling, a thick white bandage square in the middle of his shoulder. Equally so, his left forearm had a tight layer of wrapping around it. Realizing he hadn't heard a response Akira turned his head to his right.

A second bed had been pulled out, and fittingly enough, his fellow Wild Card was laying in it. Wrapped around his head were a tight series of bandages. His gaze was level and calm as his red eyes stared back at Akira's gray eyes. "You did what you had to do." He said in a surprisingly flat voice.

"That's…you don't even know all the details." Started the black-haired teen.

Goro's eyes broke contact with his. "I can piece it together. When Morgana brought us to you…I could see the blood on you, blood that wasn't yours. Our enemies were men who think nothing of brutalizing and killing anyone who gets in their way, even up to little children. Not to mention…we pissed most of them off by not only kicking their asses but giving them the slip. Now that I think about it…Terashima probably picked the most hot-tempered and violent of his goons and led them to the station. How he did that, I'm still trying to figure out."

"Well, don't hurt your head over it." A stiff chuckle slipped from the detective's lips causing Akira to smile. "Look, he found us and…we…there's no way any of us could have known things would go that far, I sure as hell didn't." He groaned as he lifted his left hand, stinging pain racing up and down the limb. "Damn, I'm still trying to figure out how he did that. I thought you needed to be in the Metaverse to summon a Persona, but that Terashima guy…he did it."

"Him and Ryuji." Snipped the Justice-aligned Wild Card.

Akira's eyes widened. "What?"

Again, their eyes met. "I don't know, neither does he, but I…after he rescued me, he summoned his Persona and used it to knock Terashima flat on his ass, enough that we were able to make a quick getaway. There was a…" Rubbing his head, he seemed to be fighting off a migraine. "Akira, ever since you got your Persona, have you ever noticed a…blue butterfly? One that…glows?"

The next question solidified the enlargement of the Fool's eyes. "You too?"

"We probably should have asked Igor about it instead of just mouthing off to him." Complained the brown-haired teen.

"Something tells me it wouldn't have mattered. Igor's never been the sort of answer questions directly." Countered the black-haired youth. "That and this time around…something about him just felt…ominous. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I feel like things would have gone bad if we had asked." Dropping his head, he sighed in exhaustion. He'd been up for less than five minutes and already he felt burnt out. "I'm thinking the best thing we can do now is just…regroup. We're still alive, all that shit…and we made it out alive."

"…We are, aren't we?" Goro agreed swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. "Right about now, Shido's probably ranting and raving, but that won't last long. What happened at Shinjuku, he is going to take it lying down. No, he's not going to let it go to waste."

"Why do I get a feeling I'm not going to like what you have to say." Akira groaned.

Shooting him a sideways glance, he rested his hands on the edge of the bed and prepared to stand up, only for a sudden and feminine voice to reach the ears of both boys.

"Stop right there. Either of you move, you're getting a sedative that'll leave you lying flat on your backs and your mouths open for flies."

Akira snickered. "Looks like we're not going anywhere for a while, not until the doctor gives us the go ahead."

Goro watched with interest as the blue-haired doctor's face screwed up. This was his first time meeting "The Plague" in the flesh, he'd heard the rumors, but never did he find any reason to investigate into them. Oh, how things had changed. First off, he could see she sported the goth look with pride, albeit it was a tad more subdued than he was expecting. She gave off a serious and composed aura, something that Goro could respect and hoped he could use to make his temporary stay at her clinic manageable. Her caramel-colored eyes looked to Akira first; he saw how they softened in such a tender way it made him want to look away. In just that one look he could tell that what the two of them shared was something real and not superficial. What they had was what his mother had wished she'd had with Shido. What Goro himself had once wished his "mommy and daddy" had for one another.

He spent too long lingering on old emotions and missed his opportunity to look away. Instead, his eyes ended up meeting those of The Plague's. Goro was surprised in finding little to no anger or rage in her eyes, at least, not the personal kind. Surely this woman knew who he really was and that he'd had murderous designs on the persona she loved. Yet, in spite of those things, the closest negativity he found was in the fact that he was trying leave without her say-so.

Tae didn't like that too much as she directed her full attention toward him. "Look, I know you're a tough kid like my little guinea pig here, but you're still human. I've given you both proper treatment so you can make a full recovery, but only if you both _sit your asses down and rest_ so the medicine can take affect. You, Mister Detective, have a minor concussion you'd best not arrogate, while _you_ ," Akira's face broke into a grin in having her attention directed toward him. "Are not going to be using either of your arms for another day or so, understand?"

"So that means you're going to be feeding me? Talk about a treat!" Laughed the Fool.

The back-alley doctor looked to him with a harsh glare that was greatly belayed by the blush on her cheeks. Goro could do nothing but watch, a mixture of awe and nausea swirling about in his gut.

 _I already miss the Hashiokas._ Bemoaned the brown-haired assassin.

 _ **You mean you already miss Natsuo? Hm, sounds like someone's a tad jealous seeing such-**_

 _Loki! Shut-up! Please!_ Barked human, no, he near pleaded. Much like his Fool-aligned counterpart, he too was at the end of his rope in terms of strength. Naturally, it took his Personas chattering within his head for the last measure of his strength to be used up. To his left, Robin snickered; at the very least he wasn't adding to Loki's words, though the laughter wasn't exactly much of a consolation. Near digging his fingers into his head, he decided to speak up, if only once. "Can you two please give me some prior warning to when you're going to…copulate? At least for the sake of my recovery."

"Do you have to phrase it in such an odd way?" Akira offered looking to him with a sly smile that Goro tried to avoid looking at. "I mean, it's not like you could be jealous. From what I've seen, you've already got yourself a girl back in Shinjuku."

"Natsuo is _not_ my girlfriend!"

"But she gave you her number, didn't she? And said that any time you need to, you're free to stay at her family's place. Then there was that little-"

His face rapidly taking on the shade of his Phantom Thief mask, Goro acted on sheer impulse. Gripping the pillow he'd previously been laying on, he hurled it across the room like a pouting child. Akira used his own to deflect it, laughing and taking aim with his own pillow. It suddenly dawned on the runaway hitman that he was out of ammo, and cover. He cursed and quickly began to look around for something he could use to return fire.

"Hold it right there, both of you! Akira, hurl that pillow and so help me I will turn you into a human pin cushion! Akechi, I will pump you full of so much anesthesia you won't be able to tell up from down…nor will you be able to tell what organs I'm removing! Is that clear!" Boomed the blue-haired woman, a dark aura flaring about behind her and chilling the room.

Goro quickly nodded his head. "Y-Y-Yes ma'am."

Akira's reaction was far more whimsical. "Alright, alright. Sorry. Promise, we'll be good little patients while we're here, won't we, Goro?"

In spite of the fear and embarrassment, just the sound of Akira's voice managed to raise something in the Prince Detective. "Sure, just as long as I don't see anything that'll make me want to claw my eyes out."

"You're acting like you've never seen a couple before, kinda of childish, don't you think?"

"Childish? I'm not the one who makes baseless accusations!"

"No," he grinned. "But you are the one who threw his pillow. Speaking of which, catch!" Though growling, Goro caught the pillow, barely. He immediately began to pull and smooth it out, as if trying to disinfect it for germs or something. Akira's chuckling turned into outright laughter as he turned his attention back to his girlfriend, whose frown spoke for her. "What? It's not like I threw it at his head or something. I was just giving it back to him."

Tae looked ready to say something, but then something changed in her head. Her shoulders slacked and her lips curved upward into a slight smirk. "Point, but just remember, all the new tools I received to help you two can have _many_ different uses." As she expected, her statement caught the attention of both Wild Cards. Questions stammered out of their mouths only to be silenced as she rose her head. "I'm going to go contact the rest of the team and let them know you're both conscious, it'll be a relief for them. They should be here within the hour. Until then, try not to make a mess of yourselves…or my office. I do work here and still have to make a living ya' know." The confusion remained in their eyes, and likely would stay there until she explained herself. Tae would, but in time, once the Phantom Thieves had been fully assembled. Something told her that the strange occurrences had begun well before she turned on the news.

Though he had a number of questions, Akira was able to put most of them to ease seeing the warm look in his girlfriend's eyes before she left him and Goro. It promised a talk afterwards, a private talk between the two of them. Even if he had to explain himself, it would be worth it. After the day he'd just had, he needed his goth doctor at his side.

"So," Goro's voice suddenly sounded off once they were alone. "From what I can gather, she knows about your…nightly activities?"

"You remember how I told you we had a medical supplier, someone who kept us stocked on medicines and all that?" Akira's eyes directed themselves and by extension Goro's attention towards the door that Tae had softly shut behind her.

"It's her…and you're…seeing her." It sounded like he could hardly believe the words himself.

"I wasn't lying to you when I said I was already seeing someone." Calmly defended the black-haired teen.

Goro looked away, again. "I never cared about stuff like that. She…she seems nice."

There were a number of snappy comebacks Akira could have shot back, but now wasn't the time for sarcasm. It was the time for honesty and healing, of the physical and mental kind, things that they both needed. "If it wasn't for her, we never would have made it this far. I…heh, I really owe her an apology, don't I?" To empathize his point, he lightly pulled at the straps on his right arm slag.

"If she agreed to enter into a relationship with you, then she knew what she was getting into." Calmly retorted the older boy. "If my guess is accurate, she's just happy that you're alive. Wounds to the body heal…once a soul's left this world, there's no way to bring it back. That person is…gone forever." His fingers lanced together and his shoulders tensed. Goro wanted to stop himself, but he couldn't. Realizing that, he decided that there was no choice but to keep on going. At this point it was all he had. "Your wounds will heal and she'll still be able to hold you in her arms, which is what she's grateful for. Your wounds will heal and…everyone will be happy to see you."

"…And they'll be happy to see you." Softly added the Fool. His shoulders tightened even more, as if bracing for some sort of coming blow. It was painful for Akira to see. "We all made it out of there. It wasn't pretty and I wish to God I could go back and stop Terashima…but I can't. Instead all I…all we can do is make sure he can't ever do something like that again. Make sure the man holding his leash is put away where he can't ever hurt anyone again."

"When you say that…do you mean behind bars…or in a grave?"

"Does either one matter to you?"

Red eyes met gray. "Does it matter to _you_ , Akira? You killed people in self-defense. I've murdered people, there's a big difference."

Akira was silent for a moment before shooting off his next question. His voice was shockingly calm and direct. "That wasn't the question I asked. Personally…at this point…I'm…if what I saw is any indication, then Shido isn't going to stop until we're all dead. Us being alive, it's too much of a risk for him."

"You're learning." Came Goro's dry voice. There wasn't even any attempted humor at his statement.

"We have to stop him…by any means necessary." Finally declared the black-haired Wild Card. "Our first goal is going to be putting him behind walls…but…I-"

"I'll do it." Shock swelled in Akira's eyes as he looked to Goro, who merely stared back at him with a sullen expression. "Don't look at me like that. We both know that I'm…I'm already tainted. If it comes down to it…I'll do it, and I'll take the brunt of it. It'll be up to the rest of you to clean up afterwards because it likely won't stop with Shido." Gradually, the tension began to leave him, as if the declaration itself had lifted the burden. "Akira, Igor was right about one thing, this is only going to get harder from here on out. We won't survive it if we keep on going on like this is some weekend superhero show."

A half-stiff half-amused laugh slipped from Akira's mouth. "That's fine. Last I checked, we're thieves…not heroes."

This time, Goro joined him. It was surprising to him how carefree his own laugh sounded, how little resentment there was in it. Maybe because it was the truth, and as they say, the truth will set you free. "You know that I wanted to be a hero of justice when I was a kid…but not all childhood dreams come true. Besides…I…think I might have a new dream."

Akira smiled at him. "Mind telling me what it is?"

"Nope." Replied the brown-haired Wild Card laying back in his bed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I want to get some rest in before Ryuji gets here. We both know he's only going to make my recovery all the longer."

Playfully rolling his eyes, Akira decided things could end right there, at least for now. While they could discuss the future all they liked, it would all be for naught if they weren't capable of even making it down the block without groaning in pain.

"One thing though, how come _you_ are called Inmate A while I'm Inmate B?"

* * *

 _ **Location Unknown, 8:59 PM…**_

"What in the hell were you thinking?! You do realize I can have you thrown back into cell any time I wish?! No, not a cell, a _pit_ from which there will be no escape! Just darkness, endless darkness for the rest of your pathetic useless life!"

Terashima was glad that there was a desk separating him and Shido, it kept most of the spit from getting in his face. "Uh-huh, can you please remind me what the problem is? The way I see it, I just did you a great big favor." It was worth it seeing the vein appear on his forehead, which was extremely visible given his lack of hair. "Allow me to explain before you decide hurl me out that nice glass window. My little…shake-up gives you the chance to score another PR win. I mean, we both know those little punks don't have access to half the resources that you do, not to mention you've already got the public eating out of the palm of your hands. What's wrong with a little extra precaution."

Even if it had been delivered in an unpleasant voice and with a mocking expression, the words were sound. They were reasonable. It was his ability to speak such things that allowed for Terashima to remain a player in the game.

Well, that and his ability to completely and utterly kill anything he was directed at. That was certainly one skill that gave him near constant employment.

Shido knew that extremely well. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed raw power, someone with enough strength they could shatter a mountain if ordered to. He'd found that trait in "The Terror Terashima".

The problem was, the Terror wasn't just destructive power, he had a brain. An extremely crafty brain that could keep up with elites such as himself.

It made Shido hate him all the more.

"If you pull off another stunt like that…mark my words, Terashima, there will be consequences." Growled the glasses-wearing politician. It was taking a great deal of effort to reign in his anger, something that he knew amused the hitman in front of him. If possible, he would have ordered his guards to throw him out the window then and there. From the get-go he knew that hiring Terashima would be like attempting to tame a wild tiger, one whose spirit was still indomitable. Shido had neither the time nor the willingness to break that spirit. He just needed it until his own beasts were bred and ready for use. "Lay low until I have need of you, when I do, I will send for you."

"When you say lay low, do you mean-"

"I don't want any more of _those_!" Barked the bald-headed man pointing his finger at the small flat-screen on the far right side of the room. They were still digging through the wreckage of the "sudden collapse". The media had yet to dub any secure reasons as to why the explosion had happened or how armed aggressors had made their way inside the station where they began to shoot up everything and everyone in sight. Shido would give them a reason with a single call. "You're lucky you have me for a backer or else you'd be in the darkest cell this country has to offer, spending the next twenty years awaiting a death sentence or a life sentence."

 _You're going on like I've got a shot at avoiding either of those things._ Terashima jabbed behind a straight frown. As soon as the Phantom Thieves were off the board, he was going to be following suit. It was a coin toss rather or not he'd simply be assassinated or taken alive and set up to be sent back to prison where he'd likely meet an "accident" in his cell one day. None of the scenarios were particularly applying which was why if he was to avoid them, he'd have to act fast. Terashima had to fight to keep the grin from forming on his face as he ran the odds of each path.

Without a doubt, what he'd caused was one of the deadliest attacks in Tokyo's recent history. Hell, he was pretty sure some were already calling it domestic terrorism. Terashima never thought his career would lead him to upgrading to such a term, but he was far from complaining about it.

Neither was Shido, at his core.

"Alright then. It has been something of a long night so I guess I should get some rest. After all…with what you've got in store, those brats are going to have to come back up out of their foxhole eventually."

"And when they do, I'm fully expecting you to have each and every one of their hides in hand. If not…then I promise you, you will regret it." Snarled the tyrant.

Keeping his true feelings in check, Terashima bowed his head and made for the door. He didn't look back even once, if he did there was a chance his mask might slip. That, and he really did have other interests he had to tend to. One of them being his "partner".

He got something of a surprise at the elevator. Though he was merely an "attack dog", Terashima knew the faces and backgrounds of the upper epiploons of his "owner's" operation. Before him stood two such people, whom had risked quite a bit of their fortunes, personal and financial in backing.

Suehiro Fukuyo, younger brother of the late Minister of Internal Affairs, a cold-eyed man whose instincts and institution had guided him through the world of banking and finance allowing for him to become one of the wealthiest men in Japan. He was the one footing most of the bill for the organization's operations, a fact he was surprisingly…lax about. Too late.

The minute Terashima looked into his copper-colored eyes, eyes that widened in surprise upon seeing him. A moment later and they narrowed, silent questions being directed his way.

Looking to Suehiro's right, he laid eyes on the man at the center of the group's robotic monsters, monsters that he himself had commanded. Like the machines his company created and distributed to the public, Tadasu Koide was a composed and up proper man. Not a wrinkle in his press suit or tie. His dark red hair was neatly combed back showing he had prepared for this up incoming meeting, likely once his people lost contact with the mechs that had been assigned to the pursuit team. Terashima had no clue how much money Tadasu had just cost his company, but he assumed the battle data they got was worth it. Much like Suehiro, it was when he looked into the CEO's eyes did he see the true story.

There were multiple wrinkles Tadasu's teal-colored eyes, signs that the last several hours had been anything but pleasant for him. Surprisingly, he didn't seem to flare up with anger when he looked at Terashima. As far as he was concerned, he was just another part in the great machine that was Shido's conspiracy, albeit a dangerous part that needed to be handled with care.

"Off to see Hikawa?" Was the first thing he said in a lax voice.

"You know me well, Mr. Koide. Indeed, I am, sorry about losing all those shiny toys you lent us." Replied the black-haired hitman with a slight bow.

Tadasu held up his hand. "It happens. We developed combat machines to be sent into warzones, battlefield loss is to be expected. Besides, it's not like what we lost were our only models of the Longinus Platoon. We're currently at work in designing the next generation models. Likely you and Hikawa will be taking them into battle with you next time."

"Next time, see to it that you finish the job. We've come too far to allow any more slip ups in the plan, especially at this late a stage." Stated Suehiro stepping forward.

"Yes sir." Terashima spoke stepping to the side allowing the two men and their respective bodyguards to pass on through. Without a doubt, it was going to be an explosive meeting. He'd left Shido in a foul mood, and the two men about to meet him were not the type that could be rattled easily. Tadasu's loyalty to Shido wasn't as firm as it could have been, precisely because he knew that Shido's ambitions were going to lead him, and the rest of them down a path to hell. Terashima suspected that Tadasu had a back-up plan, a way-out. He had to as unlike a good deal of the other kiss-ups and flunkies Shido kept under him, the robotics CEO seemed to have something of a conscious.

Plus, he had a family that though he was separated from, he still looked after.

Suehiro's sole remaining family was no longer amongst the living.

And he was about to bend the knee to the man who'd ordered his older brother's death.

* * *

 _ **9:28 PM…**_

"If I didn't know any better, I'd almost say you're not happy to see me. I brought you some gifts." Chuckled the red-eyed assassin while his counterpart merely snorted in annoyance.

"You don't have to baby me like this, in fact, I find it insulting." Fired back Hikawa, sitting upright in his bed in spite of his injuries. The act caused him visible pain, a fact that didn't escape Terashima's eyes. Thankfully, the gangster said nothing about it. "I'll be out by the end of the week, out and back on the hunt."

The black-haired Persona-user chuckled. "You know, I could have the little rascals all bagged and tagged by the time you're out of here."

His light jab was met with a cold glare from the ex-military sniper. "Don't be ridiculous. Those little brats managed to drive you off."

"Only because I was winging it, weren't you?"

Hikawa's face turned red as his sneer turned into a near feral snarl that he directed solely towards Terashima, who merely found it amusing. He hated how his glare, often likened to that of a beast on the hunt, could so casually be laughed off by this street urchin. Then again, as much as Hikawa was loathed to admit it, Terashima wasn't just a street urchin, nor was he some low-level thug who'd spent his time shaking down bystanders for chump-change. He was a killer, an assassin like him; a lengthy reputation had been built up over the years, his trail of carnage stretching as far south as even Australia and as far west as France. Terashima had proven well beyond the shadow of a doubt that destruction was what he lived for, and in this day and age, men like him had a long list of people who could use one with such urges and capabilities.

Their current employer was one such man, though the leash Terashima was kept on was far shorter and tighter than it was for his fellow criminals. While Hikawa had worked with a wide range of people on assignments, there were some he absolutely hated consorting with.

People like Terashima was one of those kinds of people.

Unfortunately, Hikawa didn't really have much choice in the matter. As much as he hated to say it, the Phantom Thieves had proven more resilient than he'd thought. Taking them down was going to take some planning and effort, things that he'd always dismissed when dealing with children. "You'll pick up their trail, right? I'll have you know that your little stunt at the station doesn't mean you get to take it easy."

"Hey, for the moment, everyone's just reloading. Now's the time to catch our breath and get ready for the next round." Stated the criminal hitman holding up his hands.

"Dammit, Terashima, this isn't a game!" Hissed the professional assassin. "Do you know what's at stake here?! Do you?!"

"I know very much what's at stake." For the first time, his face displayed genuine seriousness, but only for a moment. Grinning, he reached over and poked the green-eyed man's bandaged forehead. His face morphed into that of a vicious snarl. "But I'm not letting it eat me up like you. You gotta remember to relax every now and then. Get too high-strung and you'll miss your next shot."

Barely reigning in his anger, Hikawa fired back, "Become too lax and your sword will lack power behind it. That's an open invitation to getting cut down."

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that. When it comes to the fight, I'm always ready. Hell, if I wanted to, I can slit your throat now, slip out of this place, and be on my way to a bar for some dinner."

It wasn't a joke…it was a fact, something that Hikawa was frustratingly aware of. Sanyu Terashima played the part of a brute well, but in reality…he was something else entirely. He wasn't just a beast, he was a predator, much like him. Except unlike him, Terashima thoroughly enjoyed what he did, perhaps a bit too much. Actually, he enjoyed the spilling of blood more than anyone Hikawa had ever worked with. It made him both a powerful ally…but one that he had to keep his eye on none the same. When the smoke cleared and the Phantom Thieves had been eliminated, he knew who his next target would be.

The problem was Terashima knew what fate awaited at him at the end of the line as well. It made his overly friendly and lax demeanor all the more unsettling.

 _Even if he did kill me or betray us…he wouldn't go to_ _ **them,**_ _would he? Not after what he pulled today, there's no way even that four-eyed bastard would accept him, it'd just be Shido all over again! Besides, everything in his profiles suggests he wouldn't-_

"Hey, have you thanked him yet?"

Hikawa blinked. "W-W-What? Thanked who?"

"Cassio," Clarified the gangster crossing his legs. "He saved your life, remember. You would have died if he hadn't taken half of Akechi's final attack for you. I know you hate kids, but do you have something against dogs too?"

Snorting, the shooter looked away. "For the record, no, I doubt. I'll thank him the next time I see him, which will be when I'm able to return to active duty. As for you-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, don't raise anymore hell. I suppose that little tryst at Shinjuku Station should be enough to hold the public over. Anyways, get well soon."

Hikawa carefully watched as his sword-wielding counterpart rose from his seat and began to make his way to the door. Just as his hand reached for the knob, he found his voice again. "How'd you do it?" He looked back to him with a questioning stare. "Summon your Persona in the real world, how'd you do it? According to the research division, you need to create a localized Alt-Space field for such a thing to happen."

A shadow fell over Terashima's face, yet he smiled. Shin'ichi Hikawa, a man who'd braved countless battlefields and life-or-death situations, shivered in repressed fear upon seeing it. "I'd tell you…but I'd like to keep it my little secret. I'll give you a hint though, do you like butterflies?"

"Excuse me?"

"Butterflies…I saw one a couple of weeks before Shido got me out, in fact…he pulled some strings to get me out because I…gained something. A power that could put me on even grounds with Black Mask, and maybe even kill him." His eyes twinkled with nostalgia as he looked at the palm of his right hand. "All of it…thanks to that weird-ass red butterfly that fluttered through my cell…and that voice…that voice."

That was as much as he was willing to give. He left the hospital room finally leaving Hikawa to his recovery. Only once he was gone did the redhead breath out a sigh of relief. His body easing up, he turned his attention to the flat screen to his left. Of course the news cast was still on the sudden "explosions" at Shinjuku Station.

Hikawa checked the cloak. In maybe an hour or so, a "special bulletin" would be playing, and with it, another nail in the coffin of the Phantom Thieves would be set.

* * *

 _ **Takemi Clinic, 9:40 PM…**_

As Akira had predicted, everyone was happy to see the two of them conscious. Futaba outright tackled him onto his back, her eyes leaking tears as she attempted to squeeze the life out of him. Following suit was Ann, who quickly began berating him on his recklessness. It was enough to bring a smile to Goro's face, but he wasn't sure why. The smiled dropped once he realized that Haru was standing in front of him.

Then she was hugging him.

He stared dead-ahead, his brain struggling to comprehend what was happening. The daughter of a man he murdered was hugging him and whispering how thankfully she was that he was alive and well. And it was devoid of any malice or hidden intentions.

It was a reunion, one that…he was a part of.

Goro wasn't sure if he was awake or still asleep. These sorts of things didn't happen to him, or at least he didn't think they happened to him.

"I take it's been kind of hectic since we got back?" Akira softly questioned once he was released from the grip of his friends, same thing with Goro.

"That's putting it lightly." Sighed Makoto pulling up a seat. She'd been a nervous wreck ever since they escaped from Shinjuku Station. "They're already calling this one of the worst domestic terrorism attacks in the last decade. The death toll is at…it's…we're already past one-hundred."

Hearing that, Akira and Goro felt stones drop in their stomach. They'd been…careful about watching the news. Call it hesitation, call it fear, either way, neither of them were ready to confront the aftermath of their "daring escape" until the whole team was assembled. Well, it was now, and there was no more use in running away from it.

"Pretty much the entire city's on edge with everyone wonderin' if this was one attack or if another one's coming." Admitted Ryuji.

"Well, thanks to you something tells me there isn't one. Besides, what Terashima did, Shido would never order something like that." Goro explained as all eyes turned to him.

"But then why would Terashima do such a thing? Was he hoping to bury us all alive in the station with countless others?"

"No, Yusuke. He did what he did simply because he could…because he _wanted_ to." Stated the Prince Detective with somber eyes that looked out around the group. "Causing destruction and mayhem, it's what he does."

"Is that why you hate him so much?" Morgana questioned, his tail swaying back and forth. "How you even managed to put away a guy like that is sounding more and more incredible."

"I got lucky, and I took as many steps as I could to make sure he'd never get out. Heh, fat lot of good that did me." Goro laughed only for Haru to place a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"All this means is that we'll have to be extra careful when confronting him the next time. I think at this point he's made it clear that he cares for little more than causing as much destruction as possible. Rather it's in the pursuit of us or not." She declared, a statement that everyone agreed with. When Terashima had launched his attack, Haru had made the decision to look back. What she'd seen, what she'd seen would haunt her for months on end. A crimson specter wielding a massive sword, a wicked grin on its face as flames rapidly ate away at the surroundings. It was like something out of a movie, but it had been real. It had taken place in the real world.

"Speaking of which, do we have any idea how in the hell he did that? Summon his Persona in the real world? If he's looking for us in the real world then we'll be…" Ann let the thought trail off, the visualization too much for her to voice. Based on the looks on the others, they had similar feelings.

Goro knew how grim the situation was looking. The logical thing to do would have been to lay out the truth of their situation, but he broke habit, again. "Knowing Terashima…him coming after us in the real world would likely result in another Shinjuku Station. That'd be too much for Shido. Besides…it…it wouldn't fit Terashima's style."

"What do you mean?" Nervously asked Futaba. She didn't like where the conversation was going, at all. Then again, no one did. "I-I-I-Isn't he trying to kill us?"

"I believe I understand what Goro is getting at." Spoke up Yusuke, a hand to his chin. "Terashima is not merely pursuing us, he is _hunting_ us."

"Um, aren't they the same thing?" Ryuji questioned.

Akira shook his head. "No, a pursuit is something you do because you're ordered to. A hunt is…something more personal, more primal." As he said the words, he glanced sideways at his counterpart. What Akira wasn't saying that only one of them was being hunted, the one with the most personal connection. "He's not the only one we need to worry about though. That other Persona-user, Hikawa, and those giant robots…"

"This whole thing is starting to sound like something out of a freakin' comic book or TV show." Bemoaned the team's fist-user.

"Well, we do run away in colorful customs fighting off strange monsters with manifestations of our psyches in a parallel world." Goro spoke up with a dry smile. "I believe from here all we can do is keep escalating." The smile dropped as the truth of his own words hit him hard. "The fact that we're all standing here is a miracle."

"That…" Started Ryuji, his lips ticking upward. "Or we're just that good."

"I'm willing to vote on us being that good." Spoke Futaba, a smile finally blossoming on her face.

"Same here!" Ann cheered.

"I'd like to put myself in that boat as well." Laughed Yusuke. "I do like to believe we've grown from our somewhat…amateur beginnings."

Makoto was next. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree."

"Same here." Haru added.

That left only three, the two Wild Cards and the Persona-using feline. Said feline chuckled before looking at the two boys. "As the veteran here, I can say with certainty…you guys have grown, a little."

"A little?" Akira playfully pressed. "All the shit we've gone through and all you can say is 'a little'? Morgana, I think you're underestimating us."

"Hm, maybe I am." The blue-eyed cat finally admitted jumping to the side of the black-haired Wild Card. "You guys…have come pretty far, you've all held yourselves together, even when things took an unexpected turn. I look around and I see everyone's still got some fight left in them." There was a pause as Morgana's blue eyes fell on the team's laser blade wielding member. "Everyone." He emphasized.

Akira looked to Goro with an encouraging smile, as did everyone else.

The runaway assassin felt his shoulders slagging, his walls crumbling down. Usually, such feelings got him riled up, put him on the defensive. He wasn't feeling that way now. Goro was feeling at ease, relaxed…safe. "I guess the group's spoken. You all…we…do have some skill, though I will say it's going to take everything we've got to stop Shido. We slipped through his fingers this time and he's not going to accept that lying down."

"When do evil megalomaniacs _ever_ let the heroes escape and not throw some sort of temper tantrum about it." Joked Ann.

"I imagine he's on his third tantrum right about now to be honest. "Added the brown-haired male.

"You know, for a man aiming to rule the country, from what you're describing, Shido sounds awfully…petty." Makoto noted.

Goro gave her a sideways glance. "Oh, trust me. That's being polite. Even his most devoted followers know he doesn't tolerate failure well, in fact, you could get his order at a restaurant wrong and he'll use that as a reason to make sure you spend the rest of the year working sanitation."

"Charming." Morgana mocked while Akira silently seethed in rage behind a clam façade. He knew better than the rest of team how true Goro's words were. It was why they absolutely couldn't allow such a man to become Prime Minister. He wasn't a political person, but he knew that having a self-centered narcissist at the helm of the country would only end in one way-a complete disaster.

Speaking of disaster, Tae entered the room, the look on her face telling him that another one was upon them. Or rather, the fallout of the previous disaster was about to make itself known to them.

"On a scale of one to ten," Began the black-haired Wild Card moving to his feet.

"An eleven." Tae answered pushing past Ryuji and Makoto, both of whom looked ready to move to his assistance. Nakedly in front of the other seven teenagers and the talking feline, Tae guided her boyfriend upward, her hand cradling his face as she looked him in the eye. "You and your band of thieves are now being accused of domestic terrorism."

* * *

 **I'm sure some of you saw the direction things were going as this chapter went on. It and the next one are going to deal mainly with the fallout from multiple sides. There's obviously no turning back for anyone, which you can argue was Terashima's intent. Speaking of which, what did you all think of him this chapter? I've dropped a few more hints about his character and how he got his Persona, though I imagine they're a bit obscure.**

 **Next chapter you'll be seeing what the "special news bulletin" is, it's set-up for the next target the Phantom Thieves are going to have to go after. The team's going to have a few more challenges they'll have to overcome before they can take a shot at Shido, but they're going to be needing some…help in order to do so given how radically things have changed. Until then!**


	25. Chapter 24-Parabellum

**Hey, everyone! Last chapter ended on a bit of an interesting cliffhanger so I won't waste time in talking! Only know this chapter sets the stage up for the next Palace the team's going to be tackling and will include some character-centered fluff and comedy.**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 24-Parabellum**

The news.

Some would say it was perhaps the deadliest weapon in modern history, more deadly than the atomic bomb and all he variants and knock-offs that came after it. Others would say that it was without a doubt the most annoying thing imaginable and promised nothing but absolute hell if it wasn't on your side.

Both were entirely accurate.

While people did have a right to the truth, there were limits and ways to use this supposed freedom into a weapon. An extremely deadly weapon. For good reason was a free press often regarded as the enemy of tyranny thus steps were usually taken to eliminate it. Or control it thus making it no-longer free but a mouthpiece.

Shido had gone the latter route, as the Phantom Thieves of Heart were witnessing on the small flat screen before them.

The coverage was of Shinjuku Station, replaying the tragedy from various angles, but with one little difference. Each of them were there, and they were in costume, and they were on the attack. Against the people of the station, their weapons flashing destruction following their every move. All the damage that had been caused by their pursuers, who were nowhere in sight, was being caused by them, or so any onlooker would think.

"N-No…no way…this can't be…this can't be happening!" Shouted Makoto, a mixture of fear, horror, and rage boiling up within her. The rage began to edge out as her red eyes became clouded over in vengeful fire and her fists tightened to the point her nails began to dig into her skin. If she kept on going then she'd likely begin to feel blood tracing down her palms and fingers.

She wasn't alone. "That's bullshit! That's bullshit!" Screamed the Phantom Thieves' strongman, his face already contorted into a rabid snarl. He looked ready to jump up and tear the small TV apart. Either that, or attempt to jump through the screen and end the offensive falsehood on play. Each second that ticked by he felt his anger growing and growing until his knuckles had begun to turn white and the inside of his palms becoming red. A break in the rage came when he felt a familiar pair of hands clasping around his own. Startled, he looked up to find his fellow blonde, and the closest friend besides Akira that had had.

Ann's eyes glistened with tears that she was fighting to keep from shedding. Compounding her battle were her efforts to comfort Ryuji, who stood dumbfounded for a second, then he acted on sheer impulse. He looped an arm around the whip-user, biting back his own frustrations so give comfort to the pig-tailed blonde, who rather quickly melted into his embrace.

Normally, Morgana would have had something to say about such a thing, but his mind was somewhere else. He watched, growling like a jungle cat as his human companions were vilified in the eyes of not just Japan, but all the world. His fur stood up on end and his blue eyes blazed with the same angry blaze that had seized Ryuji and Makoto.

"B-But that's…that's not us! It's not us!" Cried Futaba, her breaths becoming quicker and quicker. Immediately, Akira and Tae moved over, placing their hands on her shoulders and back in an effort to get the younger girl to calm down. Seeing her surrogate brother and teammate alive and well had been welcome relief to her, but now, being forced to live through the trauma of a few hours ago with the add "bonus" of Shido's manipulations was taking its toll on her. "I-I can tell that the images have been altered!"

" _You_ can Futaba, but the rest of the world can't." Came the dry and worn voice of the team's Prince Detective. At his side stood Yusuke and Haru. While both had been watching the doctored footage, they'd also been observing Goro's reactions. He was calm, at least on the outside. It was clear that what they were seeing wasn't a surprise to him. Did it anger him as it did the others? Yes, his fists were clenching as tightly as Ryuji and Makoto's, but he was better at controlling his rage than them. He'd had to learn while working under Shido. "We know the footage is fake as do our allies…but to the rest of the world, it looks like the Phantom Thieves went on a murder spree in the middle of Shinjuku Station for no reason at all. The only way one would be able to prove it wasn't us is if they dissected the video piece by piece and discover the changes themselves. Unfortunately…the masses won't care about that unless presented to them."

"W-W-We can do that though, r-r-right? P-Prove it's not us though?" Ann asked, her voice quivering.

"Yes, we can, in fact, clearing our names must be our first order of business, but even then, it won't be easy. Nor will it be the end of all of our problems." Darkness overtook the young Wild Card's face as he realized his earlier actions had just become merely extra weight to an already massive and heavy problem. He wanted to throw his head back and scream, but kept his composure. "What Shido is doing is trying to turn public opinion against us, something I helped him do when I assassinated Okumura. Now, he's going to pen this on you all."

"To make sure the entire country hates our guts." Akira finished. No sooner had he finished speaking did the news feed change to an image of the mayor of Tokyo giving a speech renouncing the attack… the Phantom Thieves. He wanted to turn the TV off, or put his fist through it. Quick as lightning, his gray eyes flashed to Goro, who caught his gaze. "You know who did this, don't you?"

There was a heavy sigh from the brown-haired Wild Card before he turned around to address the rest of the group. Realizing that he was more than likely going to exert himself, Tae motioned to Ryuji then pointed at a nearby chair. Without missing a beat, he broke away from Ann, grabbed it, then brought it over giving Goro something to sit on.

"Shido has many men and women in his employ, all of whom hold power in a number of sectors of public and private life. Those giant robots we fought in Mementos, as Futaba said, they came from Silver Scale Robotics, a tech company that's at the forefront of artificial intelligence and so forth. The head of their Japanese branch, Tadasu Koide, is a member of Shido's inner circle."

"Since he's the head I take it that means he can get away with turning those mechanical abominations on us?" Inquired Yusuke looking rightfully concerned.

Goro shook his head. "I never knew all the details, but one of the things Silver Scale was looking into were drones and automatic weapons for the military, and not just the Japanese military but for western countries like the U.S., Britain, and Germany. If anything, I believe those mechs were deployed against us as a type of field test. Koide's going to be in some trouble since we destroyed just about all of them." As much as he wanted to laugh at their small victory, it still failed to smooth over the still looming threat they faced. "Anyways, Shido knows that with the power of the press on his side, he's pretty much protected against any negative coverage, at least coverage that can do him any harm. To protect himself, he allied, or shall I say forced, a media mogul into working for him. That mogul is Masaya Komori, an-"

"Executive of TBS, Tokyo Broadcasting Systems! That's why father had him over for-eh?" The Okumura Foods heiress blinked in wonder as she realized that all eyes in the clinic were now on her. "U-U-Um, s-s-sorry? D-D-Di I interrupt you?" She said looking to the equally interested runaway assassin.

"No, no, I imagine you have heard of him. Your father and Komori met through Shido's cabal and that's how he was able to push the advertisements of Okumura Foods far beyond what they used to be." Explained the male brunette.

"So that's why I kept on seeing commercial advertisements during just about every commercial." Mused aloud Makoto. A moment later and her face turned serious as her mind raced to put the pieces together. "Tokyo Broadcasting, they're the ones who run the JNN and JRN,"

"Along with half a dozen other radio networks." Stated Tae, her mind too assembling the picture. Though her field of expertise was medicine, that didn't mean she was completely lacking in other domains. Especially since she'd chosen to romantically involve herself with a criminal. "Even if they don't directly fall under TBS's umbrella, Komori's likely still able to exert some influence on other stations and networks, and since he's working for Shido that means…"

"He has near complete control over what the news says and what the general public think in regards to him." Finished the team's leader. He would have crossed his arms had one of them not been in a sling. "Even so, say we're able to get to him and change his heart, we're still looking at a massive battle ahead of us."

"That's true." Goro offered raising a single finger catching everyone's attention. The look in his eyes was one the other teenagers had seen before; it was one of razor focus comparable to Akira's. Fittingly, his next words came down with the force of a sharpened blade. "Komori should be our next target because if we can get to him before Shido, he can help us expose him. Just as I collected a mountain of evidence to be used against him, so too has Komori."

"What?!"

"For real?!"

"And you're just telling us this now?!"

The former assassin shot Morgana a cross stare. "I'm sorry, I forgot to mention it in-between the assassination squad made up of gangsters and hired killers chasing us across the Metaverse, a rescue mission, dodging those same assassins in the real world, and last but not least, fighting off a killer headache!" No sooner had the words left his mouth did he suddenly recoil, his left hand going to his head.

"Akechi," began Haru lightly patting him over the head. "You shouldn't get too worked up. You and Akira are still injured."

"That doesn't matter, Haru." He growled. "There's work to be done, lots of it."

"Why would this Komori fellow have dirt on Shido, are they not allies?" Asked Yusuke. He could feel something was coming, something that they hadn't been expecting.

At first, Goro looked around the assembled group, Dr. Takemi included. He supposed she had as much of a right to hear what he had to say as anyone. Not only was she their chief medical supplier and doctor, but she was also dating their leader, his rival. Whatever trouble they got in and injuries they gained she would have to treat. Not to mention every second of their activities was a second she'd spend worrying about her boyfriend, who also had a nasty habit of placing himself in harm's way. Especially when it came to protecting others.

"Komori is…in another life, he would have made an excellent detective or private investigator." He began looking back on his own past encounters with the man. While they weren't exactly fond, Goro could say they weren't entirely unpleasant. His meetings with the graying-haired broadcasting executive had always been ringed with nervousness and suspicion as he knew his every move was being watched and even cataloged. It made him foster a small respect for the salt-and-pepper-haired man. "He began his career as a journalist eventually turned news anchor who rose through the ranks by his own merits until making it to his current position. There were a number of times he placed himself in harm's way to get the story, and more often than not he came out alive. Naturally, when he partnered with Shido, he knew what he was getting into-an alliance with a man with no loyalties to anyone but himself. So, for insurance, he kept a near room full of Shido's misdeeds in case the time came for their 'partnership' to end." Briefly, his shoulders tensed up as he spoke his next words with dry amusement. "Shido knew this as well and was going to have me kill him once he won the election. Then, I'd likely be killed to ensure there really were no loose ends."

A pause came so the group could absorb his revelation, and what a revelation it was. Immediately, the first thing the teens' minds jumped to was a single ray of light perhaps shining amongst the darkness. It didn't last long as each of them remember the kind of world they lived in and if something seemed too good to be true, then there was a high chance it wasn't.

"Why?" Began Ann looking to Goro. "Why would a guy like that…partner up with Shido? You said he was a journalist so…why would he get in bed with a creep like him, especially knowing he was going to kill him?"

Goro's face softened a she leaned back in his chair. "The best answer I can come up with is…he did it just because Shido came along and asked him to. There were some light threats I believe, but Komori didn't really put up much of a fight. In fact, that's one defining trait regarding Komori-he _never_ puts up a fight. Hell, all the times I met him I was visiting him as were several others. He practically never leaves his workplace at the station and even then, he hands out a majority of the workload to others leaving him with quite a bit of time to himself." His nose wrinkled as an unpleasant memory crossed his mind leading him to one final conclusion. "Essentially, he comes off as a man who's given up on deciding his own fate and decided to let someone else do it for him."

"And yet he was smart enough and willing to plan ahead should Shido double-cross him." Akira noted.

"More like when." Corrected the brown-haired Wild Card. "Shido knew that by giving Komori control over the media he was giving him access to a large amount of dirt that could crush his political career. The plan all along was to use him up then kill him when the opportunity came. For the time being though, he's working under Shido's thumb doing stuff like _that_." He near growled pointing his finger to the TV.

"Having said all that, is it safe to say this guy has a Palace?" Requested Ryuji, having kept up with a majority of the conversation. Honestly, the whole thing made his skin crawl, especially with how casually they were discussing someone's death.

"Yes, he does. I scouted it out a few times."

"You don't sound too confident in yourself." Noted Haru. Goro's eyes darkened as he looked away from her. "He knows that after that broadcast we'll be going after him, won't he?"

"Most likely, which means his Palace will be on high alert. It'll be tough, especially if we run into those two again."

A collective shiver ran through the teens at the thought of facing the two enemy Persona users. The thought of fighting them inside an enemy Palace was just as bad, if not worse than fighting them in Mementos tunnels. Just like with before, they'd be playing for blood, and there was a chance rather than fight them, they'd simply beeline for Komori's Shadow Self and kill it, thus killing him and denying them their chance at victory. There remained the possibility of going after Shido himself directly, but if Komori's Palace was going to be so heavily guarded then chances are so too would Shido's be. Not to mention Shido himself would likely be anything but a pushover to beat.

They'd had time to rest up, if only for a moment, but now it was time to begin planning their next move. Akira's brow furrowed as he tried to align all the pieces. Obviously, going after Komori was going to be a long-shot, but it was one they couldn't afford to brush off simply because it was dangerous. So too was the thought of going after Shido, who would no doubt throw everything in the kitchen sink at the. Briefly, his gazed turned to his arm, it would heal, but before then he couldn't risk putting more strain on it, more for Tae's sake than his own. Speaking of the blue-haired doctor, he noticed she'd been uncomfortably silent nearly the whole time. Painfully, he looked over to her. Guilt immediately clenched at his heart.

No matter what decision he made, his life was going to be at risk, major risk. She knew that and so did he. Silently as not to draw attention, she slipped her hand against his; her grip was warm like a spring breeze, yet at the same time possessed the firmness of iron. Somewhat shyly, she looked at him, her caramel-colored eyes shining with resolution even as her lips quivered.

He wanted to do nothing more but take her up into his arms and tell her that it was going to be okay, that he was going to come back alive as he always did. Doing so right in front of his friends would have been nothing short of embarrassing, not to mention a tad unprofessional.

 _ **Since when have you ever cared much about professionalism? Besides, you know as well as I do that any assurance you give her…will not be a surefire guarantee.**_ Warned his other self. _**Akira, remember, this is the woman that you chose, and the woman that accepted you. Do not think so lightly of her willpower.**_

As if he'd bent the universe to his will, Arsene's words were reinforced by Tae. Finally, she looked him square in the eye as fi to say, _Go. Do whatever it is you have to do, and don't you dare hold back on account of me._

The urge to kiss her was strong, almost too strong for him to fight. In the end, he settled on a simple squeezing of her head. Then, he spoke out catching the attention of his teammates. "We're going to go after Komori first. We'll finalize the details tomorrow, after we've had some time to catch our-"

 _ **KNOCK! KNOCK!**_

Near collectively, every member of the Phantom Thieves all the way down to Morgana jumped. Tae did not.

"Ah, seems like he's here." She said breaking away from her boyfriend, who needed a minute to realize she'd left his side. The calls for an explanation went completely ignored by the doctor who disappeared behind the corner.

Goro looked to Akira. "Is she always like this?"

He shrugged. "More or less, don't worry, I trust her."

"To keep us safe or not give us a heart attack?" Leered Makoto suddenly feeling light on her feet.

Just as the black-haired Wild Card was ready to answer, a familiar voice called out into the room.

"Futaba! Akira!"

In an instant, Futaba bolted from her spot beside Akira, practically ramming herself into Sojiro's arms. It was a heartwarming sight, one that the group sorely needed after seeing how steep a battle they were in for. Tears slipped from the eyes of orange-haired hacker as she buried her face in the café owner's chest. Without a second thought, he wrapped both arms around her to ease her fears as best he could. After a few minutes of this, he finally looked up. He breathed out a sigh of relief seeing all of the seven teenagers and cat were alive. In particularly, his eyes lingered on Akira…and Goro.

The moment the older man's gaze fell on him, the runaway assassin looked away. _Why does he keep doing that? Why does every time he look at me I just…I just get this near sickening feeling?!_

 _ **Old memories, perhaps?**_ Called the Norse trickster.

Still holding onto Futaba, the bearded man walked over to Akira, placing a warm hand on his uninjured shoulder. "I always knew you'd be a trouble maker when you showed up."

"Though I did surpass your expectations, didn't I?" Grinned back the knife-wielding teenager. Laughing, he found himself drawn into the family hug as well, Futaba stretching her arms out to encompass him as well.

Goro wanted to look away, he should have looked away, but he couldn't. He should have felt angry or jealously, but he didn't, at least not in the quantities he normally did. Instead his mind turned elsewhere. Looking up at the TV, he pictured himself sitting not in a clinic, but in a household bedroom, surrounded by two other people and later a third. _I should probably give them a call. Make sure that they know that I'm alright._

The universe then showed it worked in mysterious ways. Sojiro removed himself from his black-haired charge and reached into his pocket. "Your parents tried calling you." He said with a dark frown on his face. Akira winced as he got the picture. "Then they tried calling me. You know, when it comes to stuff like this, I _really_ don't like lying to them."

"I…I understand." He said solemnly. "And I'll do my best to never put you in that position again." Bracing himself, he scrolled through the contacts list before finding his father's number. Internally bracing himself, he pressed on it and waited for the pickup on the other end. He prayed his father wasn't working and would be able to pick up the fine. A second later and he did. "Hey, dad."

"AKIRA?!"

 _So much for a private conversation._ Winced the bespectacled teenager throwing a glance around the room. Now everyone had an idea of what his father sounded like. "Y-Yeah, dad, it's me. I'm okay. I-"

"Stay right where you are! I'll go get your mother! Are you alright?! Are you hurt?!" Shouted the frantic voice of one Kunihiro Kurusu.

Again, the Wild Card winced. "Well, I got a tad bit banged up. I was at Shinjuku Station when the attack happened."

"You were what?! Akira, are you-"

"Dad!" Softly shouted back the younger male. "I'm okay. Really, just…I've just got a few scratches. Nothing to worry about."

"You can tell that to your mother." Replied back the patriarch of the Kurusu family. For the moment he seemed to be buying it, but Akira knew his father well. If he could have, he'd poke his eye through the phone so he could fully examine his son. Thankfully, such a thing was possible. That said, Akira appreciated his father's effort.

As expected, his mother was on the line next. He could tell she'd been crying. "A-Aki-Akira…Akira, are you alright? Y-Your dad told me you were-"

"Just a few scratches." He softly soothed. It was painful being able to picture his parents' faces through the phone. His last call to them had been little over two weeks ago, when he and his team were still in the planning stages of the Casino Heist. How things had changed since then. "I was there to meeting with some friends when the explosion happened. It was-" As with Tae, he just barely managed to stop himself from speaking. This time, it would likely have greater consequences. Quietly, he glanced around at the faces of his teammates. They could all see that he was just barely holding himself back from telling them the truth. Some said the truth could set one free, but there were times that wasn't exactly the case. Sometimes, the truth just made things more complicated. Finally, his gaze fell to Morgana, who looked at him with blazing eyes.

The feline knew what he wanted to do, and probably knew what the consequences would be. Still, he knew that Akira was looking at more than just their immediate situation. He was looking at the possibility of when all of this was over and he'd have to face his parents. If he lived to do so.

Sighing, the cat nodded, then scurried over to brush up against Ann's leg, much to the chagrin of the man beside her. A glaring match quickly ensued.

"It…Mom, Dad, the attack at the station, I was there. The news have it wrong this time, it wasn't the Phantom Thieves, it was…well…"

His father came in on the other line. "What really happened? Akira, whatever you saw, you can tell us."

 _I know, but you two believing me is another story. Plus, I don't want either of you put in any more danger. I've already brought enough hell down on us._ Mentally groaned the sixteen-year-old. Holding in the stress and tension, he decided to do his best to explain what had really happened. "It was criminals, a gang dispute. I know it sounds crazy, but trust me, that's what it was." Technically, he wasn't wrong about criminals being involved. And calling it a "gang dispute" wasn't that much of a lie either. He and his crew were wanted criminals, a criminal gang themselves, hell, he'd even committed murder!

 _ **Actually, it was self-defense. And besides, it's not like the men you shot will be missed. Hopefully, I've seen how some of those old school yakuza movies turnout. Ooooh, wouldn't that be an adventure, wouldn't it?**_

A hand flew to the side of his face as an annoyed grimace briefly overshadowed his face. _You know that job as an attorney just keeps on looking better and better. I'll be getting death threats every week instead of every other week._ Remarked the black-haired teenager. Arsene of course chuckled as if wanting to see such a future come to light.

His zoning out had transmitted into prolonged silence, which for his parents was quite troubling. "Akira, where are you right now?" Came his mother's voice. "Your father and I have talked it over and we…we think it'd be best if you came back home, to Meguro."

"What?!" Exclaimed the gray-eyed teen nearly jumping out of his skin. "I can't! Not now! Not-I-I mean I'm okay! Really! I've adjusted and I've-"

"We miss you, Akira." Came his mother's tear-stricken voice Stopping him dead in his tracks. "Kuni and I…we're sorry, we're so sorry about sending you away. We should have had you stay and we should have-"

"Mom," Softly interrupted the knife-twirling Phantom Thief. "Mom, I made the choice too. You guys gave me the option of staying in town and fighting thus putting us all through the ringer or living and waiting until things cooled off. I chose to do the latter, and I'm…I'm happy that I did. I won't lie and tell you it hasn't been easy, I've had my low points, but I've also had my high ones." He wished he could show her his brimming smile. Since he could, he tried to transmute his feelings through his words. "Since coming here, I've made friends, lots of good ones, including a…" His brain came a screeching halt as he realized he was about to tell his parents that he had his first girlfriend; who happened to be standing not six feet from him, looking on with a sassy smirk. Anything he said she would hear, and were it embarrassing she'd never let him live it down.

Thankfully, his mother recognized where the conversation was heading on the other end. Rather than a sniffle or a sob, he heard her laugh. Though a tad embarrassed, Akira was happy to hear it. It felt like it'd been ages since he last heard his mother laugh. "I'm…I'm happy to hear that. I'll put your dad back on the line, I think I've kept you two apart for long enough."

This time, the laugh came from Akira hearing his father's half-hearted defense in the background. There was a deep breath on the other end before he was able to speak. "We won't be able to change your mind about coming back, will we?"

"No," responded the younger Kurusu with sorrow in his voice. His lips briefly ticked upward into a sad smile. "Besides, winter break's coming up so it'd be a tad bit, I don't know, weird and bothersome if I just changed schools with that on the horizon."

That got a light chuckle out of his father, but only for a moment. "Then, would you consider coming home after the holidays? When your prohibition is scheduled to be up?"

Hearing that caused Akira's eyebrows to rise. He'd completely and utterly forgotten about his prohibition. If all went well then he was going to be scout-free some time around New Years. If things went really well the entire case against him would be thrown out since the person who'd filed it would have _much_ bigger problems to contend with then going after him. It was near cosmic how the pieces seemed to line up together. Of course, that's also what made Akira extremely cautious going forward. "I'll…sit on it." He said, remembering not to completely space out this time.

Seeing he was approaching his emotional and physical limits, Sojiro motioned for the phone to be headed over to him. Akira told his father of the transition and handed the device over to the older man. Both adults quickly launched into a fast-paced conversation centered on the day's events, and the safety of their respective loved ones.

By chance, Akira's gray eyes fell on Goro's blood-colored orbs. Throughout the entire talk, he along with the rest of the Phantom Thieves had been watching him. Within seconds of locking eyes with one another, Goro quickly averted his gaze to the side.

"A…Akechi…"

Then snapped them back to the doorway. His mouth promptly dropped, as did several others.

Standing in the doorway, her purse hanging loosely by her side stood Sae Niijima, her gazed focused solely on the brown-haired Wild Card. He looked at her like a deer caught in the headlights.

"S-S-S-S-S-Sae?" Stuttered the young detective. Subconsciously, he rose to his feet and braced himself as she walked over. His face morphed from one of surprise to one of grim resolution as he stood up straight and braced himself.

The prosecutor's face hardened for a minute causing the tension in the room to skyrocket. Makoto looked ready to intervene to keep her sister from causing a scene and perhaps save her teammate from a beating he seemed to be expecting.

"You idiot! Don't just run off like that then send me a text message!" Shouted the gray-haired woman before pulling the younger man into a bear-tight hug. "Call me! Talk to me! _Speak_ to me, dammit!"

His mind couldn't comprehend what was happening. He was being hugged, by Sae Niijima. By the woman he'd lied to for the better part of half of a year. She sounded worry about him. Worried about _him_. There was anger in her voice, just not anywhere near as much of it as he thought they'd be. Against all odds, Sae looked relieved to see he was alright.

Slowly, the realization sunk in, and the tension that had so tightly seized him began to relax its grip. Goro lowered his head. "I'm…I'm sorry. I just…I had a lot on my mind."

First came the sigh of begrudging acceptance. Then, Sae lifted Goro's head, put her left middle finger against her thumb, and lastly released it against her forehead.

"Ow!"

Laughter burst from the mouth of one Ryuji Sakamoto, and even Akira let out a snicker seeing his fellow teammate recoil in pain. From the looks of things, even Ann, Haru, and Futaba were repressing a laugh. And so too was Makoto.

Goro glared at his gray-haired partner. "I said I was sorry! Like I said, I had a lot to do!"

"And contacting me wasn't one of them?! Do you have any idea how worried I was?!" Snapped back the prosecutor defiantly crossing her arms. "When I got that test massage, I wanted Futaba to trace it so I could find you and bring you in from the cold!"

"I was staying some place safe! I was trying to avoid contacting you because I didn't want to put you in more danger than I already had!" Retorted the teenager. "I-huh?" Glancing down, he was caught off-guard seeing Morgana standing before him, a familiar-looking smartphone held in-between his teeth. After wiping it off he held it up to his ear. "Hey,"

"Holy shit, finally! I was beginning to think you'd bought the farm or something!" Came the visibly relieved voice of one Natsuo Hashioka. Goro's whole body relaxed, the anger immediately draining out of him. Unknowingly, a smile formed on his face. "Are you alright? Do you need me to come find you and play nurse?"

"Thankfully, someone's already beat you to the punch. I'm…I'm somewhere safe, and I've gotten medical treatment so don't worry. As of the moment, I'm in no danger of dying, at least not by bullets or blades. Embarrassment on the other hand is a different story." That got a laugh out of the other members of the team, and the adults in the room. "Natsuo…I…"

"We were a few blocks away when Shinjuku Station got hit. It was them, wasn't it?" Asked the flame-haired girl. Knowing her, there was a high-chance she'd deduced what had happened since the Hashiokas splint from Phantom Thieves.

"To be precise, it was Terashima. He…he did to the station what he did to my apartment, blow it to hell." Growled the Justice-aligned youth. "I…take it you've seen the news."

"Oh yeah, so, how's the rest of the group taking it?" She softly inquired.

His eyes fell as he took a look around at the group. From his sorrowful glance they could tell Natsuo had asked about the broadcast, or rather, the smear campaign against them that just went wide. "They're…we're dealing with it. We know who's responsible and we've got a plan to deal with it, but for now for now we're just…"

"Getting your shit back together? Sounds like some of you got hurt once we separated."

"Yeah…I've got a minor concussion. Don't worry though, it's nothing compared to the headache you and Shuya gave me." He smiled.

That got a laugh out of the green-eyed writer. "Good to hear that! Speaking of Shuya, I'm gonna put him on; as you've guessed, he's been pretty worried since we haven't been able to get a hold of you."

On the other end he could hear some shuffling around before a new breathing pattern came through the phone. "Um, hi."

"Hey," Began the older male brunette. "Sorry for giving you and the others a scare. Things went…off-track once we splint up. Don't think I'm going to be using the train to come visit you guys for a while."

"At least you're still alive so we can meet again. When you wouldn't pick up, I got…I got scared and thought you'd died. That I'd cursed you or something."

Humorously laughing, he rubbed the tight white bandage around his forehead. "Shuya, trust me. I was born cursed and I've lived with it all my life. I'm willing to admit I haven't come out entirely sane or stable, but I've survived, and one little attempt by a nutcase with an over-sized meat cleaver might as well be a stain on my pants. Nothing to worry about, and surely nothing that's going to put him me down. In fact, when I find the person guy responsible, I'm going to pay him back, in kind."

His laughter was mirrored in Shuya's. "Good to hear, but, um, could you keep his sword? You know, as a battle trophy? I know he was trying to kill you with it, but I thought it looked pretty cool."

"Not as cool as my laser blade though, right?" Again, the pair shared a joyous laugh. "Hey, Shuya, I…thank you for…when I get the chance to, I'll return the S3."

"Don't worry about it." Replied back the younger boy. "I told you, you need it more than I do, and besides," Goro could practically hear the smile in his voice. "What's a sixth ranger without his special weapon? Plus, you…consider it your chance to rebuild. You told me that when Terashima bombed your place you lost all of your collection so use the S3 to restart."

It wasn't something that Goro wanted to think about-everything he'd lost when Terashima destroyed his home. Near immediately, the fires of rage seared within him, nearly manifesting on his face as a blank and cold stare. The expression was short-lived as he fully absorbed the depth of Shuya's words. His shoulders immediately sagged. "Look at me, a killer by night moping over a toy collection, and needing a pep talk from a junior high schooler to restart it. Pretty pathetic, don't you think?"

"Well, my uncle likes Ultraman, and you know the story behind him." Came his upbeat reply causing Goro to smile. "Even psychos and killers can have hobbies. You know, my dad liked collecting coins, and his job basically involved ripping people for all the money they had." There was beat that was filled with laughter between the two boys. "Life is screwed up and so are we, but I don't think that's such a bad thing."

The old him would have tried to refute his words, but the him that was forming now, the him that existed in the presented, merely laughed in acceptance of his statement. Admittedly, he could see the truth in Shuya's words. Life was screwed up, and so too were the people who walked through it. Once, Goro had been ready for that walk to end; in truth, a part of him had actually been yearning for it. Now, not so much, amazingly. There were a number of reasons as to why, but he knew at heart it was because of the three people on the other end of the phone. And the ten humans and cat that he sat with. Each in their own way, had given him reason to accept the abnormalities and continue onward, if only just a little further.

They talked for a few more minutes until Shuya handed over the phone to the last of his three caretakers.

"You know, my afternoon and evening went very off track because of you. Then again, this day was probably the most excitement that I've had in almost a year, so thank you." Mused the retired assassin to his unlikely protégé.

Said protégé laughed at the statement. "I thought you were retired, Jō."

"Well, meeting you made me consider coming out of retirement. Now that I'm in it, might as well brace myself and go the rest of the way. I hear you're somewhere safe."

"I am, probably the safest place I can be at the moment. I'm assuming you've seen the news?"

"It was doctored, but the general public won't realize that unless you can get to the person responsible and make them confess."

"We're working on that."

"Good, I'd advise you to keep your head low."

There was a pause on the Prince Detective's end. "You…I don't think I can do that. Even though I know that my word probably won't get far, it' still worth an effort to try, I have to. I owe it to everyone since I got them into this. I got your family into this mess."

"Goro, listen to me." His voice was soft, yet retaining a sharp edge like a teacher about to administer a lesson. Wisely, the seventeen-year-old shaped tensed up and opened his ears. Knowing Jō, he could perhaps picture it in his mind. "From what I saw, every member of your ragtag group made the choice to rebel and make this world just a tad less shitty. They all knew the risks, and if I had to guess this latest development hasn't changed anything for them. Has it?"

"…No, it hasn't."

"When Natsuo brought you into our home and you explained the situation, we made the decision to back you so long as you stayed true to your goal." He continued. "Do you still have sight of your target?"

"…Yes, I do. And I still want to pull the trigger."

One could almost hear Jō's smile on the other end. "Then do as you did before. Take a minute to catch your breath. Formulate a plan, then execute it. After that little mess at Shinjuku Station, Shido's likely going to be using all of his resources to hunt you down, that's why I'm suggesting you stay underground for a little while. Any of your friends willing to put you up? Or do you want to come back to our house for the time being?"

That was one question he'd been dreading; he'd been putting off. Exactly where was he supposed to stay? Forget his Sentai collection and his ammunition against Shido, he needed a place to stay where he'd be able to think and focus his mind to plan out his next course of action. Immediately, he knew he couldn't go back to the Hashiokas, he'd be putting them at too much risk. Hell, he worried for them now as he realized the ambush that had been set up could only have happened if someone knew where he was and where he was going.

"I-I-I-I've got a place I-I-I'm staying w-w-w-with one my teammates. H-H-H-He-she-he has some space they're willing to loan me." Briefly, he glanced up and saw the expressions on his teammates' faces. They looked rather surprised. Quickly, they all began looking at each other, realizing with his words that since his home had gone up in flames, he had nowhere else to go. Not to mention they couldn't turn him loose on the streets where Shido was still looking for him. "J-Jō, is everything alright in the neighborhood? Have you noticed anything strange or out of the ordinary?" Snapped back the teenager.

"No, which is both a boon and something to be weary of." Answered back the older man with a grunt. "I'm going to look into how they were able to get the drop on us. Somewhere, information was leaked and I have to find out when and where. In the mean time it's been…quiet, honestly, it's too quiet. I don't like it one bit."

Goro certainly agreed with that. The problem was he didn't have all the pieces, plus his mind was occupied with too many other thoughts. It was too much for him to compute, especially in hi still-wounded condition. "I see. Well, if you come up with anything I…just let me know, okay?"

"I will, in the meantime, you keep yourself alive, alright? I'm gonna put Natsuo back on since she's been patiently waiting to have you to herself again."

"Yo!" Came the jubilant voice of the green-eyed female.

"You know, my head's still hurting so try not to shout and do any more damage than you've already done." Grumbled the Wild Card. A moment later and his face turned serious. "Natsuo, I know what you're going to do, and I'm going to ask you not to. You've done enough already."

There was a pause on her end, one that told Goro pretty much all he needed to know about what her response was going to be. "You know I can't do that. Besides, it's not like this is the sort of mess that a person can just wash their hands of and walk away. Furthermore, I'm going to keep my promise to you." His shoulders hunched hearing that. It was a blessing that they were talking over the phone instead of face to face, otherwise Natsuo would have seen the subdued blush on Goro's face. "As exciting as this is, I actually think I'd prefer listening to half-cocked guesses on who Rise Kujikawa mystery boyfriend is."

"I heard he used to play baseball."

"I heard a rumor he killed someone."

"Just promise me you won't do anything stupid or reckless." Sighed the brown-haired boy.

Again, he could practically see the smile on the other end. "No promises, but I will try to spread the word that the Shinjuku Station bombing wasn't you guys. There's an unaltered version out there somewhere, and without a doubt there's going to be videos of what _really_ happened that afternoon. It may not do much, but it's a start."

"I suppose that's what matters." Goro sighed before his lips curving upward in a slight smile. "I…um, I'll…talk you later, I guess. Preferable when I don't feel like I've got a splinting headache."

"Alright, I'll let you have a night to get some rest. I'll call you again tomorrow to check up on you. By the way, how's the rest of the team doing?" She giggled.

"Well, I'm pretty sure Skull and Panther are going to start sorting out a date for the wedding, Mona's possibly plotting the former's assassination or mutilation-"

"Hey!"

"What the hell man?!"

"Damn right I am!"

"I'm ninety-percent sure that when we find out next target Queen and Noir will get, what's the phrase, medieval on them." Said girls squeaked and looked at one another then to him with blushing faces. "Oracle's will likely break several cyber laws in trying to clean up the crap playing on the news right about now." A Cheshire grin crossed Futaba's face as she held up a V sign with her fingers. "I fear I'm about to break Fox's mind given our next target, as for Joker he…phoned home, or rather, home phoned him."

"Ah, okay then. Well, see you tomorrow! And make sure to take care of that cute little-"

He couldn't have cut the call off fast enough, his face rapidly growing redder. A second later and he realized that perhaps he might have been better off remaining on the phone with Natsuo.

"What?" Immediately questioned the runaway assassin. "How come you're all looking at me like that?"

Makoto lightly elbowed her sister. "See, told you he's a really softie when around t he Hashiokas."

His eyes zeroed in on Sae, who'd remained astonishingly quiet throughout his whole phone call. She refused to meet his eye, and if Goro had to venture a guess, it looked an awful lot like she was blushing. For the life of him he couldn't understand why.

"And there we have it, indisputable proof that Goro Akechi does indeed have a heart." Proclaimed Akira with a wide grin. "Was anyone recording it?"

"You really want a one-way ticket to the ER that badly, don't you?"

"If I go, we both know you'll be coming with me."

"Boys." Cut in Dr. Takemi looking at them both with a venomous smile. "Do I have to repeat myself?"

"No ma'am." Answered both Wild Cards with forced smiles.

Sojiro couldn't help but laugh. "Doctor, it appears I haven't given you enough credit. Seems you were able to keep them alive and under control until we got here."

Akira and Goro rolled their eyes. The latter in particular crossed his arms in stubborn defiance. "You're going on like we're a bunch of wild kids that have to be looked after."

"Can you blame us?" Sae interjected, doing her best to keep her voice level. "We turn our backs for one second and _look_ at the mess you all get into. Albeit it's one you're all in because…we adults didn't do our jobs, on multiple fronts." Her eyes briefly moved between the two Wild Cards, who momentarily returned her gaze. It was like taking a double arrow-shot to the heart. "Look, we need to formulate our next plan of action. For now, Shido's got the narrative and if we let him keep it then it won't bode well."

"We know that, that's why we've decided to go after his flunkie in the media next." Akira stated.

"His name is Masaya Komori," Began Haru. "Akechi told us if we can change his heart then we can perhaps get him to turn over the evidence he's collected to us, not to mention debunk that fake video."

"If you guys want, I can do that myself. Just give me until tomorrow night and we'll have some progress made." Spoke up Futaba. The earlier fear that had seized her had lost its grip returning the hacker to her normal and energetic self.

"Uh, question." Declared Ryuji looking somewhat uncomfortable. "Should we, I don't know, call Mishima and let him know about this? I mean he's in charge of the Phansite and he's…probably freaking the hell out."

"Not that we can blame him." Muttered Ann realizing the amount of hell they'd likely brought down on their dark-haired PR manager. "I don't even want to know what the Phansite looks like now, all the things people are saying about us."

"They likely won't end even if we debunk the video of what really happened." Noted Yusuke with a resigned frown. "All that said, we still have to try, and if this Komori really does have the information needed to topple Shido then we have all the more reason to act."

"Exactly." Affirmed the brown-haired Wild Card shooting a side glance at Akira's arm before moving his hand over his head. "Dr. Takemi," he started getting the doctor's attention. "How long before our injuries can be healed?"

Her nose wrinkled and her arms became cross. It was clear she was reluctant to discharge the two boys, much less the whole group of teens just so they could fling themselves back into harm's way. She wasn't alone as Sojiro and Sae looked equally hesitant. Unfortunately, it wasn't a decision they could hold off, or convince the teenagers not to make. As it stood, they were the ones with the power to make a real difference. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but one that they realized they had to.

A heavy sigh escaped the goth doctor's lips. "If all goes well…in a day or so."

"What?!" Exclaimed half the room, including the two adults beside her. Akira looked at his girlfriend like she'd just descended from the clouds with a holy halo.

"I'm not sure _what_ it is you've all, scratch that, _we_ have gotten caught up in…but it's big. And there's more than one side to this. Some one's backing your guys." She disappeared behind the doorway. A minute later and she returned carrying a large cardboard box she dropped right in the middle of the room. "That," she indicated with a pointed finger. "Showed up at my door a couple of minutes before you all did. Take a wild guess what was inside?"

"Um…medicine?" Offered Haru.

"Yes, and not just any medicine, cutting-edge medicine. Tools designed for treating bullet wounds and sanitizing them." Her eyes drifted over to Akira who stiffened. "It was practically everything I needed to treat your injuries, and probably treat future injuries. That itself is suspicious, but the time is what got me. You came here from Shinjuku Station. I'm pretty sure everyone here can do the math."

"Except Ryuji." Snickered the feline member of the group.

"Shut it, you stupid cat!" Barked the dyed blond. "I can run those numbers! It means someone knew we were injured once we left the station and sent what we needed to the doctor here!"

"That means someone was watching us." Makoto spoke with wide eyes.

"That means someone's watching our backs." Clarified the team's leader.

Catching on the int, Sae leaped forward. "What happened?"

"When we were in the Metaverse we…we got a phone call. Someone who gave us instructions on how to escape from Shido's hit squad." Answered the younger Niijima. It was a detail she hadn't revealed to her sister, even when she made it home and collapsed into her arms. Now, she felt it was the right time to reveal that little bit of information. "Phones don't work in the Metaverse, and even more, the voice knew exactly what Akira and Akechi's Personas were, and how strong their attack would be if they joined forces."

"Whoever's been supporting us, they have knowledge of the Metaverse, no, of Personas and magic in general." Stated the laser sword user bringing all eyes on him. His own dark red orbs were narrowed and focused as if he were staring at an array of evidence waiting to be put together. "When I was with the Hashiokas, with Natsuo, she showed me this website featuring others with Personas. Just as soon as new videos came up, they were taken down, like someone was trying to keep the secret from getting out."

Sae placed a hand to her chin. "That means whoever they are they must have access to some considerable resources. Medical supplies on one hand and internet control on the other. Dammit, not that I'm ungrateful for their help, but who in the hell is it lurking in the shadows now?" Instinctively, her eyes snapped to Goro. His response was to hold up his hands.

"I have no idea; this one's-"

Cutting him off was the groan of his stomach, causing the teenager to mentally curse. Luckily, he wasn't alone as Akira's stomach moaned as well, perhaps in response to his own. He was far more composed than his Justice-aligned counterpart.

"You know, I just realized I haven't eaten anything since breakfast this morning." He noted.

"Neither have I." Begrudgingly admitted the male brunette. "Um, do-"

"We'll go get you something to eat." Makoto quipped up.

"Both of us will." Sae stated. "The rest of you should head home and be prepared for school tomorrow. As…hectic as this day's been you all need to carry on like there's nothing wrong or out of the ordinary. Who knows who could be watching and at the moment; the worst case scenario if for your identities to be exposed."

"We wouldn't make it past the night in custody, would we?" Yusuke spoke up. His somber words came as a bit of a shock, but one that was quickly absorbed. The deep grimace on her face gave the painter, and by extension the others, all the answer he needed. "I see, then Akira and Akechi will be spending the night here?"

"Yeah, but then what?" Spoke Ryuji. "I mean, Akechi's place is a crime scene so afterwards he'll need a place to stay."

The elephant in the room had finally been unveiled. His earlier talk with the Hashiokas came back in force causing each of the teens to look at one another.

Haru spoke first. It was clear she was flustered. "Y-Y-You, u-um, A-Akechi could stay with me so I can keep an eye on him. M-My house has lots of space for you to use."

"No!" His response came out as an overactive shout, not that he wanted it to. Haru's face saddened. For a minute, Goro felt genuine remorse, but his rationality pushed it aside and seized control of his mind. "I-I-It'd be for the best I-I avoid staying a-a-at your home, H-Haru. Shido could still have agents posted outside of your residence given your father's connections. S-S-Same thing with Sae and Makoto." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sae flinch.

"Then how's about my place? My parents are rarely home so no worries there." Offered Ann.

"Or you could stay with me and Sojiro." Futaba said catching everyone off-guard. "Our home has a guest bedroom we don't ever use."

"Actually, you do, you use it for storage." Quipped Akira with a slight smirk. "I'm sure sleeping on cardboard boxes and curled up in a ball would do wonders for Goro's back." Futaba poked her tongue at him causing him and a few others to chuckle. "How's about rooming with me at Leblanc?"

Goro's deadpan stare was one for the ages. "No."

"Why not?" Asked Sae.

"I don't want to room with him." Explained the Justice-aligned teen in a tight voice. "He has bad habits." Akira grinned at him.

Makoto sighed at the exchange. It seemed even after all the progress they'd made, the rivalry between the two Wild Cards persisted. "I think what he means is there's a chance they'll burn not just the attic but perhaps the entire café down."

"Well, one of my Personas is the Norse god of destructive fires."

"And I have been acing chemistry with flying colors." Added Akira.

Sojiro looked ready to have a heart attack right then and there.

Ryuji looked around at the group realizing the conversation he'd started had just about run its course. Everyone had offered their hands and he felt obliged to do so as well. Even if he didn't want to, and had no idea how he was going to explain things to his mother. And probably would have to explain why his room had-"

"Perhaps he can room with me. I live on the campus of my school in a dorm that has some extra space so I believe I will be able to make enough room for him."

All eyes in the room swerved to the blue-haired painter who'd remained mostly quiet throughout the discussion, only speaking up when his curiosity was aroused.

Goro looked to Yusuke with wide eyes. Their little excursion through Mementos was arguably the closest contact they'd had, well, that and the fact that he'd been the last one to speak to him before he left Leblanc that night which seemed like another life time ago. It wasn't like there was any special antagonism between them or anything of the sort, but the blue-haired swordsman did have a certain…aura about him.

"I'm okay with that." Spoke up Akira.

"Same here." Morgana stated. "Besides, in all honesty…Yusuke could use someone watching over him just as much as you need someone looking out for you."

The two boys looked to the feline with slight annoyance at his comments, or rather, one of them did. A murmur of approvals and shrugs rose up from the others, Sae being the last of them.

"Okay then, I guess we'll head out and bring you two back some food. I take it Dr. Takemi will be staying with you two through the night?" She began.

"She'll be staying with him; I'm coming with you two." Stated the brown-haired Wild Card rising from his seat. "Let me go get my disguise."

"Wait a minute! I-I don't think that's such a good idea! Akechi, you've got a concussion, right? You really should lie back and-"

"I need to get up and move, Ryuji." Quietly cut off the red-eyed teen. He looked around the room allowing each and every member of the assembly. They could see there was no talking him out of this decision. "Don't worry, Sae and Makoto will be with me so I'll be on a short enough leash that I won't stray too far off." The Niijima sisters looked a bit enticed at his wording, but the near worn expression on his face told them he didn't much care. "Dr. Takemi, my bags and a changing room if you don't mind?"

"Follow me." She spoke.

"Will you guys be able to get home safely?" Akira questioned looking at the faces of his teammates.

"Y-Yeah. W-We will." Ann stated. "Um, Ryuji's going to…walk me home and Sojiro said he'd drive everyone else back to theirs."

Morgana hissed at the former track star, who of course, hissed back. It was rather amusing to watch. That and the blush on Ann's face. Akira decided to question her on that little tidbit later on. He turned his attention to Sojiro.

"Looks like I might be missing another day of school, huh?" He started.

"Yep, I'll call in and let them know." Replied the café owner with a scratch of his head. "Odds are when you come back they'll be questions, but if what the doctor said is any indication your wounds should have healed."

"Yeah, that's true." _But knowing Ms. Kawakami, she'll still be worried about me._ Gloomy thought the black-haired teen. _I need to all her before going to sleep, her and Mishima and let them know what's going on so they can get to sleep._ In particular, his thoughts weighed heavily on the latter boy. It went without saying that Mishima hadn't had it easy, and the road hadn't gotten easier in his choosing to continue supporting them. He thought things hit their height after Okumura's death. One look at the TV, now showing an image of Shido giving a speech denouncing them all for a tragedy he ultimately caused told him differently.

It was going to be one hell of a grueling week, for everyone on all sides.

* * *

 **Honestly, I wanted this chapter to show more and end on a major cliffhanger, but I decided what I did was enough for now. You could say this chapter was the "regroup" in both a literal and metaphorical sense. Shido has officially painted the entire group in an even worse light than he did in canon and before they can go after him, they've got to work to fix that mess.**

 **Now, I'm going to do my best to keep to the themes and patterns established by the Palace Owners in the game. By that, I mean the Palaces will be named after deadly sins and the Palace Owners Shadow forms will be themed after demons, and said forms will somewhat align with the name and theme of the target. As in-game, each OC Palace I going to have a time limit, but one lasting no less than a few days since the story's set in late November going into December, meaning the election's around the corner. In the case of Komori, as Goro hinted at in his description of him, he's going to be Sloth. Yes, I know the sin of Sloth is represented by Mementos and the Holy Grail, but I've come up with something a tad different that I'm hoping you all will find interesting enough. Somewhat aligning with Persona 5 The Royal, this latest Palace is going to include Futaba taking a more active role in battle as her hacker skills are going to get some spotlight.**

 **Tokyo Broadcasting System is a real thing, it's a media holding company and 28-affiliated news networks including JNN, Japan News Network and the radio stations such as a JRN, Japan Radio Network. Essentially, this gives Shido quite a bit of power over the media and the ability to manipulate what the public hears and sees on the news, which is something any dictator would desire.**

 **For those of you who've read some of my other Persona stories, the cameos with Akira's parents shouldn't have come as a shock. I prefer a more grounded and positive depiction of their relationship with Akira. While they didn't want to send him away outside forces led them to having to make a decision that they regret leading Akira to having to comfort them.**

 **For the issue of where Goro's going to be staying, I'm curious as to what you all thought. I'm pretty sure that some of you would have liked to see him stay with Haru and watch their relationship develop, but I've got something else in mind for the two of them interacting, and addressing the rather big focal point of their relationship. I chose Yusuke because I thought up some interesting ideas for them…including the fact that Goro's a closest nerd and Yusuke is…Yusuke. You'll see.**

 **This chapter's title was a triple reference. Parabellum is a Latin phrase meaning, "prepare for war" which is what the Phantom Thieves did this time around. It's also the title for a song on the Persona 2 Eternal Punishment soundtrack as well as a weapons shop in the game. Ironically, the song (look it up) is quite relaxing and on the comments, people say it sounds a lot like a song you'd hear in P5's soundtrack.**

 **Next chapter will be a bit more fulfilling in terms of moving the story along as Goro will be spending some time with the Niijima Sisters, gain a new confidant, Akira spends some alone time with his girlfriend, and the Phantom Thieves hit back against Shido's smear campaign with help from their unknown benefactor, steps out of the shadows to reveal thsmelves! It should be out within a week or so!**

 **Oh, and kudos to anyone who caught the** _ **Fast and Furious**_ **reference during the housing discussion!**


	26. Chapter 25-(Not) a Lone Prayer

**Chapter twenty-five, took a while but I finally got here. I'd like to think everyone for giving this story a look and hope you continue to enjoy it. Brief heads up, this one's going to be a game changer on multiple levels!**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 25-(Not) A Lone Prayer**

 _ **Takemi Clinic, 10:09 PM…**_

Originally, Akira had been looking forward to being alone with his girlfriend. Things didn't quite pan out the way he'd hoped, mostly because as the others left the clinic, he felt the full weight of the day's events hit him, as well as the discussion of their game plans. All of it gradually hit him blow by blow as his teammates and surrogate family filtered out until it was just him and the woman he loved. He realized how selfish he'd been in thinking that all the day's events had left an impact on him. It'd hit them all, _all_ of them.

His gaze never truly left Tae, who was quite aware of his lingering gaze, even as she moved about with the others. It was clear she wasn't hot on the idea of letting Goro go out, assassin or not, he was still one of her patients, and she had a duty to look after him. She was a true doctor, to hell with what others had to say. Apparently, Sae recognized that as she gave her word to look after the runaway hitman. It was somewhat strange to witness, especially considering between the two of them, Sae no doubt had the stronger connection to Goro. Akira sensed the affirmation was for her sake more than anything; it was clear to him that she felt a sense of responsibility for losing sight of the brown-haired Wild Card. Personally, Akira was a little happy to see the care she still showed for her partner in spite of all that had happened. That's when it dawned on him that while they had the chance to, everyone needed to try to get their emotions in order. Hopefully before something else came out of left field.

For that reason, he lay on the operating table, the same one he'd laid on close to a hundred times. In the beginning, he'd felt a very noticeable sense of unease and even a smidgen of fear at what he'd gotten himself into. Thankfully, that feeling faded after the first time. Sure, he'd walked home feeling a tad light-headed, but that was because of his own shock more than anything. Things after then had grown…well, Akira could say that he grew to the point that he had no issue giving himself over to the gothic doctor. Following a certain evening that became more literal. And he'd embarked down a path he couldn't go back on, not that he wanted to go back.

Somewhere, in the back of his mind a part of him had accepted that their relationship would eventually put them in a situation like this. Actually having it happen though had left him…reeling. Here he lay, on the operating table with his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and anxiety; compared to what Tae was feeling, Akira knew his own feelings were minuscule.

Further hammering in that belief was the emergence of the blue-haired doctor into the room. Akira recognize the look on her face, turbulent thoughts hidden behind an attempted straight frown. It was one on the verge of crumbling, a shout building in the doctor's throat as her eyes eventually fell on the source of her emotional frenzy. Almost instinctively, Akira began to sit up.

"Down." Immediately, he obeyed her command. A command, that's what it was; it wasn't like she never spoke to him in such a tone. Oddly, he'd come to find it attractive, but this wasn't the time for flirting. Everyone else had left the clinic so it was just them, for the moment anyway. Within the hour or so Goro would return with the Niijimas and anything else would have to be saved for the next day, and even then, it'd be a day of tension as everyone struggled to put themselves back together. Knowing all of that, Tae decided to clear the air then and there. "If you're going to apologize then I don't want to hear it. In fact, if you do, I think I'll follow through my on my promise to dissect your brain."

"Which threat was that?" Coley asked the high school student.

The doctor greeted his response with a laugh as he'd been hoping. For. He sat up giving room to sit along side of him. "There are times I seriously wonder when I'll be up an immunity to that charm of yours. Gotta say, it's intriguing, but damn if it isn't annoying." Another round of chuckle encased them. Tae fell against her boyfriend's shoulder; his uninjured left arm silently looped around her waist, his thumbs gently massaging her side. "I won't sugarcoat it and say that I wasn't worried, no, terrified. The moment I saw the news break about Shinjuku Station I just…I just knew that you had to be involved. And I prayed to God that you weren't there when it happened."

Grimacing, the black-haired teen leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on the doctor's forehead. Tae was far from a dumb woman; give her a piece of the puzzle and she'll have an idea of what the whole picture looks like. It was one reason that he'd fallen for her in the first place. That said, it also meant that keeping secrets from her could only end badly, so Akira figured there was no point in it. He never had grandeur delusions that he was in control of everything around him, far form it. Adapting was something he'd grown quite good at. The problem was he inadvertently forced other people to adapt with him. Sometimes that wasn't easy-sometimes it was painful.

At her quiet behest, they leaned back atop the table, her head resting in the crux of his neck, her hand spread out over his heart. She needed to hear it, feel it, that oh so familiar and beloved beat that let her know that he was still alive; that there was still a chance he'd come back to her.

Now that they were officially a couple, and alone, she could indulge herself a little. Over the months they'd gotten to know one another, fallen for one another, Tae had begun to have urges. She was a devilish woman in many ways, one of them being when it came to intimacy, but she was also an adult woman and there were laws even she wasn't willing to break. Then she accepted the love confession of a sixteen-year-old high schooler, slept with him that same evening, and finally committed to a full relationship. That had freed her up to now more confidently indulge in touching his body, spreading her hands along it. In turn, Akira followed through on some of his own repressed desires. He held her in his arms as the night quietly ticked by, minute by minute.

"To be entirely honest, a part of me always knew that you were a troublemaker. Actually, now that I know a little more, I'd say that trouble follows you around." Stated the formerly disgraced doctor.

"Kind of like a plague?" Akira chirped with a smile.

It got yet another laugh out of the punk-goth doctor. "Wonder if it's just or if some divine power singled you out. If they did, I don't know rather to thank them for bring you to me or curse them for putting you through all of this."

"I don't think it matters too much. I'm here by my own choices, none of them I regret." Quietly replied the teenager. "Sorry if it seems I keep on piling one boulder atop another on you."

"You're making it sound like I didn't see any of this coming."

Akira chuckled. "You're saying you saw _all_ of this coming, including treating an assassin who's original plan was to kill me?"

Lightly, she drummed her fingers along his chest. Given her reputation, some would have deduced this as being the moment the Plague plunged her fingers into his chest cavity then ripped out his still beating heart. Were this a horror movie that's likely what would have happened, and if Tae really was as heartless as the stories claimed.

But this was reality, which was far different. "What I was getting at is I always had a feeling you'd get yourself into a complicated situation like this, especially after Okumura's death. Did I ever think I'd be treating the one who killed him and framed you all for it? Hell no. Did I ever think that someone would be a kid barely a year older than you and the son of the man responsible for all of this? Akira, I feel like I'm living a damn thriller series!" There was a beat as the doctor's formerly tightened expression melted away into one of placated ease. "Honestly, to think all of that was hiding behind the golden boy of the Tokyo Police Department. You enjoy riling him up, don't you?"

There was an upward tick of the black-haired Wild Card's lips. "I used to be the only one that could, though I like to think I'm still the best at getting under his skin and forced the real Goro Akechi out. He's a prick…but…I can level with him."

"…You know…there's chance if you didn't you two could have killed each other."

"…I know. Instead…we're here."

"A little dented…but you've got your team of thieves and rogues, and apparently you've got some hidden backer."

"Don't forget a reason a personal reason to keep on fighting."

That caught Tae's attention causing her to turn her head to him. Akira rose upward, taking her along with him. His storm cloud-gray eyes stared back into her hazel-colored eyes. There wasn't a need for words as the look he sent her answered the question that had been about to burst forth from her lips. A pleasant shudder ran through the outcast doctor as she once more realized that light could indeed shine even the most unlikely of places, and perhaps on the most undeserving of people. Tae wasn't a sentimental person, not often and certainly not in public.

She wasn't in public though, she was in the arms of a man who well and truly cared for her well-being.

"Just make sure you make it through all of this…and you come back to me, alright?" Came her eventual response, no more than a quiet whisper only the Phantom Thief could hear. He smiled at her and nodded. Tae was the one who acted next, demanding some form of insurance for his claim. He readily gave it to her while moving his arms to the side depriving the good doctor of her white lab coat.

In light of his healing injuries and time, they took things slow and easy, but that didn't mean that the thief and the doctor didn't enjoy the themselves.

* * *

 _ **10:36 PM…**_

"Your…um, your disguise is…decent."

Sae Niijima did not get nervous easily. Goro had learned that within the first week of working with her; he considered it one of her strengths. But even the oldest Niijima had limits as life tended to throw the wildest curveballs to the most harden of people.

Take for instance, driving to pick up food with a part-time teenage detective and part-time assassin who was currently on the run from his sociopath father and his assorted organization of corrupt politicians and professional gangsters in the backseat. Oh, and said person was wearing a shoddy disguise to boot.

"Well…Jō-san mostly knew what he was doing when he fixed me up this disguise and a few others." Quietly replied the male brunette. It was clear how nervous and out of place he felt, and it wasn't just because he was sitting in the backseat. Every so often, his eyes flickered up front to the Niijima sisters, who periodically glanced back at him. And he thought his first day or two with the Hashiokas had been awkward. "I could do with the wig, but I wasn't going to go with the contacts again."

Makoto decided to deposit her two cents. "You could have just put on a pair of glasses like Akira does."

Goro's nose wrinkled. "Uh, yeah, no. He has his disguises and I have mine. Besides, he just wears those things to look as unassuming as possible…and because he thinks girls will find them attractive."

The two sisters shared a short chuckle at the revelation. Truthfully, they had wondered, especially Makoto who suspected that their leader only wore the visual lens not because he needed them, but because he simply wanted to. Now she had a better idea why.

"Considering that he has a back-alley doctor for a girlfriend, I'd say it worked, not to mention it's easy to lose him in a crowd." Said Sae keeping her eyes on her partner to which his reaction. There was none. "Still…it's…you kept your head down…well. Suppose it was…"

"Difficult, though mostly on account of the fact that everything I'd ever worked for went up in smoke." Came the despondent voice of the Wild Card. His downtrodden face was illuminated by the lights of the cars they passed as well as bright lights of the city outside the car doors. "I know it's likely a foolish thing to ask, but was…anything recovered from my apartment?"

Sae felt a lump form in her throat; she tried to swallow it but it did no good. "Akechi…from what you said all of the evidence you-"

"Um, sis," lightly interrupted Makoto. "I…don't think that's what he means." Naturally, the older sister and current driver was bewildered at what her partner could have meant. Makoto had an idea, and she tried to broach the topic as gently as possible as she turned around to face him. "You may not be able to salvage much of your original collection…but maybe you can build up a new one. Isn't that one of the reasons why Shuya gave you that toy gun?"

"Well, that and as you all say, it's a pretty strong weapon the Metaverse." It was the first time he'd so much as cracked a smile since leaving Takemi Clinic. It was a relief to see.

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around most of this, or rather…you." Stated the silver-haired prosecutor. "A metaphysical world that turns fantasy into reality…and for weapons…you go with ray guns and laser swords." Her words caused the runway hitman to somewhat shrink back into his seat. "But if it gets the job done then…I guess I really don't have room to complain."

"Well, his…other form uses pistols and a serrated sword." Makoto offered. "Why is that, Akechi? Is it because you have two base Personas?"

"Yes, something like that." He answered with a bit of a wayward look in his eyes. In spite of seeing the heroic archer and infamous trickster in action with her own eyes, Makoto still had a wealth of questions, many of which she was probably going to have to wait to get answered. "Originally, I woke Robin Hood giving me the princely outfit that you all saw when I first joined you…and then when I awoke Loki, I…" It wasn't Natsuo's rather crude and even offbeat commentary on his dark-suited self that he reflected upon; it was Shuya's, _"It…kinda looks like Negative's outfit…but…it also reminds me of a prison jumpsuit with the stripes."_ His hands shook as he looked down at them, then swerved his gaze to the outside. "I guess you can say one of them is what I want to be while the other is what I am. A hero and a villain in that order."

"Well…since you're with us now, I'd say you've made the change from villain to dark hero, or at least anti-hero."

"Technically speaking, I think you're all anti-heroes. God, I never thought I'd be using that phrase in real-life. It feels like I've completely stepped into some sort of comic book world." Sae groaned rubbing her temples. Even after having most of it explained to her, she was still struggling to fully wrap her mind around the concept of the Metaverse and its strange workings. Not helping was the fact that she'd been a part of it…and had nearly killed her own sister through her own subconscious fears. Never mind the legal implications and challenges that came with it all. "Akechi…I…"

"I'm sorry for not…calling you before." Solemnly offered the wayward youth. "I just…I…I just didn't…look, if you want to keep yelling at me, go right on ahead. I know I've more than earned it for everything I've done."

"You have, but it wouldn't do any good." Sae's voice was softer than he'd expected causing him to look up. Makoto looked to her sister as well, curiosity swelling in her eyes. "Look, it's…everything…just happened so fast, so I guess you can't be blamed for not calling in. Hell, it only feels like yesterday we were all at Leblanc; for me, it goes further back. I'm trying to remember a time when the world made sense, or more sense than it does now."

"I'd wager that depends on what kind of sense you're talking about, Sae." Goro offered. "Personally, I believe the world _is_ an unreasonable place, most people simply prefer to pretend it is because that's the only way they can survive."

A red light inhibited the way forward. It also gave Sae a chance to steel herself to ask her next question, one that had been building in her for some time. "Akechi…do you…do you resent people for that?"

Both sisters tensed waiting for the Wild Card's response. Still fresh in their minds was the more emotionally volatile side of the Prince Detective that had revealed itself as Leblanc. For Sae, that had been the last time she'd seen him. Makoto had next seen him being escorted by a strange family of three. No, that wasn't right. If anything, they'd been _guarding_ the runaway hitman, and in turn he'd shown a tender affection for all three of them as well as a fierce protectiveness of the Hashiokas. For Makoto, it had been quite telling; arguably, it had helped cement her trust in him in spite of all that he'd done to them.

Goro's hands folded into his lap, his shoulders surprisingly lax. As much as he felt like he should have been tensed up, he wasn't. If anything, a part of him felt a tad bit relaxed. He blamed the Hashiokas, specifically Natsuo for that. It was funny as when he thought about it, Goro mused how the two families were somewhat like fire and water. The disgraced crime family was obviously fire while the Niijima siblings were water. He supposed as he'd been tested by fire, water held no sway over him. Into the darkness he could sink, but he'd lived his life submerged in darkness so that wasn't a problem.

"Honestly," he began looking out the window. "A part of me does. I see all of these people going about their lives without a care in the world…maybe they're free of grief, maybe they're not…but…at times all I see is everyone else enjoying the light…save for me. Maybe they're faking it behind a smile like I do, or maybe they're not…or maybe they're just stupid." Goro added with a humorless laugh. "If people really knew how chaotic and insane the world was, how truly incompetent, malicious, or just outright naïve the leaders they looked to were…well, I don't think everyone would be able to walk around like they don't have a care in the world. Admittedly…I wanted to show all that to them, let them see how rotten and unfathomable the world truly was."

"Would…would that have made you happy?" Came Makoto's obviously strained voice.

"…Maybe. You realize my end goal was basically tearing society down because in my eyes, _none_ of this is worth saving or fighting for." Came his noticeably bitter reply. "I _originally_ thought all of that."

"But then something changed." Sae immediately picked up on. Her body language spoke of tension, but not the sort one would have associated with danger. It seemed more…emotional. "Akechi…what you…listen, you're not the only one who feels like at times the world's not worth fighting for."

"But I'm probably one of the few who ever came the closest to ending it." He fired back.

She looked at him through the mirror, her purple eyes sharp. "Maybe you are, or maybe you're not, but you're here, now fighting so each and every one of these people can keep on doing what they're doing now-living."

"That's a bit presumptuous of you, Sae-san." Goro said avoiding her gaze. Even then, he could feel her eyes on him; eventually, it proved too much forcing him to meet her gaze through the mirror.

"All I can do is make assumptions based on what I've seen."

Heat suddenly swelled in the male brunette's cheeks. "You don't see everything."

Sae smiled, "No, but I can hear, and I heard quite a bit about you."

Now it was the Wild Card's turn to glare, and he did so at his female brunette. Makoto felt his gaze on her and responded with a childish giggle. Even though she hadn't personally witnessed his transformation into his Black Mask self, she'd seen his actions in protecting the Hashiokas, and she'd likely gotten the story from the others. Feeling defeated, the renegade hung his head in defeat.

"Geez, will you quit being so dramatic!" Half-heartedly snapped Sae. "You act as if you've got a monopoly on all the world's sorrows, but you don't! Nor are you this irredeemable sinner!"

"Are you saying that as a prosecutor?" He had to ask the question in that way.

But he wasn't expecting the response. "No…I'm saying this as your partner…and…your friend."

 _That_ caused the teenage boy's head to snap up. He looked at her with wide-eyes as if she'd suddenly turned invisible to the naked eye. Even Makoto looked to her sister with a bit of surprise gleaming in her eyes. Being right next to her, she could see the faint pink on her cheeks, and the glimmer of optimistic light in her eyes.

"After everything…don't think I'm just going to up and abandon you…not like your mother did. I promise. I won't abandon either of you."

The two brunettes were now on the same page, and were quite shocked by it.

Silence filled up the car as the two teens quietly mulled over the words spoken by the one behind the wheel. It continued until they reached their destination. At the very least it wasn't a Big Bang Burger joint.

They were getting Chinese food.

Goro blinked, his eyes running over the neon Chinese lettering again and again like it was an evidence wall he was trying to decode. He wasn't exactly against Chinese food, far from it actually. Staring at the front entrance to the restaurant he realized it'd be close to a month since he'd had Chinese food. Back when his life seemed so…different.

Immediately, he categorized it to be completely and utterly coincidental.

"Is this alright with you, Akechi?" Sounded Makoto's voice. It felt like it'd been hours since any of them had spoken.

"It's fine." He answered somewhat off-beat. Briefly, he flickered his eyes in the direction of the older Niijima. "Sae…you…don't have to look after me. I'm not…worth it."

When their eyes met, she held his gaze. Slowly, a smile bloomed along her face. "Maybe you are and maybe you aren't, but it's my choice. And I've made it…maybe I'm just looking after you because I want to."

Makoto lightly jabbed the bewildered male in the side. "Is this the part where you say that she's beyond your comprehension?"

This time, the surrender was more comical, confined solely to the young detective's right hand. "I'll say it after I've put something in my stomach."

The two sisters smiled then led the way into the restaurant, the young detective and assassin following in behind them. Inside, the place was as moderately packed as one would have expected for a weekday night. Goro was actually somewhat happy for that. Just a day ago one of the world's busiest transit stations had been attacked and the entire country put on high alert…and yet life went on. He supposed that was one of humanity's strengths, come what may the wheel of society continued to turn. Most of the time anyway, there were times when the wheel came to a halt, often with deadly repercussions. Sitting at a table picked out by the sisters, he wondered how close he'd come to bringing the wall to such a halt with his own actions.

Not that it mattered much at the moment.

Makoto had been the one to call Akira and ask him what he wanted; whatever he ordered Goro leaned in and told him he was going to have to wait for it as the line to order was already pretty long. There was a chuckle on the other end followed by an answer. Goro gave his order as well then leaned back in his seat. Of course, Sae went to take her place in line; they all knew it was going to be a bit of a long wait, maybe longer if their order ended up wrong.

 _ **Ring! Ring!**_

"One of the others?" He nonchalantly questioned watching the female brunette dig her phone out of her pocket.

"No, this call is…it's a…friend outside the team." She explained upon seeing the caller ID. "A very close friend."

"Then take it. Maybe outside where you can hear because I don't think you'll be able to do that in here." Offered the Justice-aligned Persona user. "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on Sae and stay right here."

"Just keeping an eye on Sae is enough." Makoto smiled before getting up and stepping out.

Truthfully, he wasn't exactly surprised the student council president of Shujin was getting calls this late. He fully expected it since given her position, she was one of the few that students would turn to for information in light of a major event. At least she was more dependably than half the teachers at the supposed reform school. Personally, she was miles above the bald-headed oaf that he'd slain little over three months ago.

It was chilling how easily the thought crossed his mind, and how easily he was able to dismiss it as an after-thought.

An internal chuckle run in the teenager's ears. _Guess that just proves how callous and cold-hearted I really am._

"Worry not for her safety, my people have the area under surveillance. Shido can't get to you or the rest of your allies."

Cold fear seized the Wild Card's heart causing it to cease its steady beating. Then it started back up again. All of his senses shot to their highest rating attempting to discern the location of the voice. Goro didn't have to look far as subtlety, he realized it'd came from behind him. Directly behind him across the next stall. "You've been following us since we left the clinic."

"For safety reasons. Just wanted to make sure everyone got home safely."

The tension that had been building up in him gradually flowed outward, though Goro wasn't quite sure why. He got an answer by drifting his eyes to his left. There, sitting at the edge of the table was a glowing butterfly, azure sparkles emitting from its wings. Quickly looking around, Goro realized that time itself seemed to have slowed to a near crawl, almost appearing frozen. He could see mouths moving, yet only slurred blurs were coming out. In spite of all of this…the brown-haired seventeen-year-old felt a strange sense of calm.

Quietly, he braced himself and decided to answer back. "Look…I…won't be as ungrateful as to not thank you for all that you've done for us…but I'd like to know why the generosity. I simply refuse to believe all of this is being done out of the goodness of your heart, whoever you are."

There was a masculine chuckle from the other side. "You're right, truthfully, I don't exactly consider myself a kind or just person, I do have some lofty ambitions that require me to do some unscrupulous things at times. As for right now…it is because we share a common enemy, your father, Goro Akechi."

That last line caused all of the tension to suddenly rush back into the teenage detective's body. His fingers curled and his eyes narrowed. It was a blessing that the world seemed to have come to a pause around him, his dark expression would have drawn too much attention, not to mention Sae would have noticed it and responded. "You certainly seem to know a lot, don't you?" The words came out as a near growl.

"It's my job to be in the known, especially when it comes to matters of the supernatural." Came the cool reply. "I know a lot about you, including that you've executed an estimated thirty-six targets for Shido and driven close to forty people stark-raving mad, some of them who work for me. Now I am a bit peeved, but I'm willing to let that slide."

Again, Goro could feel his heart stop. "Then why?"

"Because, though you have carried out wicked deeds, I know for a fact you yourself or not a wicked person. Broken and bitter, yes, but you have yet to sink to the depravity engaged in by your father and his associates. I believe I can go to the Hashiokas for proof of that."

"Stay away from them!" How he managed to stay in his seat was a miracle. An even greater one was the fact that no one around him seemed to take notice of his outburst.

Another chuckle came through, this one sounding highly amused. "Ah, and there it is. The heart that you so adamantly claim has become blackened. Well, in this game no one emerges unscathed so that makes you an ideal player, one who must continue to press onward. You, and the Phantom Thieves of Heart."

Gradually, his racing heart eased, bit by bit. _Geez, how in the hell did I get myself into a mess like this? How do I…no, I already know how I can get myself out of this._

 _ **And there you have it, the proof of your resolve, the proof your humanity, Goro Akechi.**_

Immediately, his eyes darted to the blue butterfly, still sitting idly at the edge of the table.

"Tomorrow, you will come to this address to make a press statement. Don't worry, it's one of mine so not only will you be safe, but you'll have the opportunity to hit back and began rehabilitating your team's reputation. I know it's been some time since you've been in front of a camera, but I'm hoping you'll be able to pull yourself together after a hearty meal and a good night's sleep." Came the first male voice snapping the Wild Card out of his mystified stupor.

The butterfly was fluttering about in the air while a clear-cut white envelope lay within arm's reach of the teenager. An eternity seemed to pass in the span of a second as he stared at it. By all signs of logic, he should have rejected the offer. But Goro had learned that logic wasn't exactly life's sole binding principle, in fact, there were times when it appeared life followed no set logic to begin with. At times, he wondered if such a thing as "logic" truly existed; was it nothing but a faint concept people foolishly used to justify their actions? Was it as binding as it was preached to be?

None of that truly mattered to the male brunette as he'd walked a path that had been far removed from "logic". He put on the mask in public to get by and attain fake praise and admiration that ultimately amounted to nothing but hollowness.

He decided he couldn't keep living his life that way. He wouldn't.

"Quite a covert style of working, whoever you are." Goro stated reaching out with his left hand and placed it over the envelope. The moment he did, the world around him completely froze. A rush of energy passed through his fingertips into his heart, completely electrifying him.

 _ **I am thou, thou art I...**_

 _ **Thou hast acquired new vows.**_

 _ **They shall become the wings of liberation that shatter thy chains of bondage.**_

 _ **With the birth of the Hierophant Persona,**_

 _ **I have obtained the wings of blessing that shall lead to freedom and enlightenment.**_

All at once, Goro's eyes widened as his head became free enough to move. Move it he did.

Briefly, his shocked red eyes were reflected in the shine of the clear-colored glasses the adult man wore. The reflection quickly faded revealing intelligent, near warm amber-yellow eyes. They were such a sharp contrast to Shido's cold orbs, always looking at everything and everyone with belittling disdain as if they were ants to be squashed. This man's eyes were warm and approving, like Goro had just done something right; apparently, that right something was trusting him. Slowly, his eyes drifted downward to the sky-blue scarf tied around his neck, emboldened on it was a black one.

Goro's eyes damn near exploded out of his sockets as his body struggled to follow through on the stormy emotions within him.

"I know you haven't had a lot of faith with authority figures, I can somewhat relate, but thank you for trusting me. Make sure you and Akira enjoy your meal and heal up. You both have much ahead of you." Spoke older black-haired man with a slight smile.

He left, taking several patrons with him proving that they were in fact part of the CEO's entourage. They all filed out the door while Goro could do nothing but watch, his body frozen in place. At least until the last of them left the restaurant. Then he was free to move, and move he did.

"Wait! Please! What the hell's going-" Realizing he was out doors and calling to the night, the words died in his mouth. Over to his right, Makoto caught sight of him and quickly rushed over. Her questions were the nightly breeze that blew through the city, unseen and unnoticed. Instead, Goro looked to the street, spotting a jet-black SUV getting back into traffic. It was too late to chase after it; no, he knew chasing after it would ultimately lead him nowhere.

"Akechi, um, what's with the envelope? Did something happen?"

It was the concern in her voice that finally brought him back to reality. Letting out a deep breath, he looked his fist-using teammate square in the eye. "Yes, Makoto, something did happen. Our odds just went from slim to _maybe_ five percent."

Everyone was expecting to take the night off and relax. For the two Wild Cards, it seemed that wasn't going to be the case. Nor would the next day be one of relaxation like they originally intended. They were going to be going somewhere.

And Masayoshi Shido was about to get a very rude surprise.

The tide of the game was going to change.

* * *

 _ **November 21**_ _ **st**_ _ **, 11:46 AM…**_

 _ **Chinen Office Building, Shibuya Ward…**_

A day out and his headache still had yet to fade; in all honesty, Shido doubted it would until his bastard runaway and his band of rebels had been found and brought before him before they were all disposed of. Unfortunately, he'd awoken that morning with that goal none the closer to happening. As frustrating as it was, he knew he couldn't dwell on it. After all, he still had a political campaign to run, even if he was winning by a massive landslide and none could stop him. Nothing could possible stand in his way so that made shoveling through the prattle of his underlings and his operation's workings a tad bit easier.

Still, he couldn't bite back the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Needless to say, Shido hated it. The feeling made him want to call up every contact he had so they could turn the entire city of Tokyo upside down to find his bastard offspring, and his little band of cohorts.

As much as he was loath to admit it, a part of him wondered what in the hell had gone one to allow the bastard child to switch sides, truly. Shido was under no delusions that he could trick Goro back into his employ with sweat words and promises; from what had been reported to him, the boy was on the side of the Phantom Thieves to stand for the foreseeable future. While he had no problems with that as it meant he could eliminate all of his enemies in a single go, a part of him did wonder what events had led to the change. Who had approached who? Was some sort of deal struck?

In some ways, he supposed the possibility had always been there. Goro had spent months tailing the little bastards, whoever they were, so it was possible he became enthralled by them somehow. But even though, surely he had to confess some of what he'd done to them giving them reason enough to distress or even revile him. Odds were, he was their only lead to him so there was that, but even then, how useful would he be?

The boy had thought he was smart, but really, he was just as incompetent and foolish as the rest. He likely thought he knew everything, but in truth, he only knew so very little. He'd only scratched the surface.

It wasn't like he'd ever brought him to meetings such as what he was in now. Assembled around a table a collection of his closest associates, men and women of the political, private, and social sectors all discussing how the country would be pulled back from the brink. A set of close to twelve people, all of whom held sizable enough power in their right, but required his leadership to become something worthwhile.

Hidenao Kawata of SEBAC, providing him the resources he needed to continue to tighten his grip on the Metaverse, the metaphysical realm that had made everything possible. Granted, he was merely one half of the equation. The other half lay with Dr. Yuudai Kenzaburō; arguably, he was the true engine behind the machine. Without his acquired intelligence gathered from his time at SEBCAC and the Kirijo Group, the resources Kawata and Koide could provide would have amounted to nothing. For a man deeply committed to his scientific pursuits, he was handling himself rather well while in a meeting of such varied people. Then again, Kenzaburō hadn't made it this far by sheer luck. His smarts went beyond the laboratory where he worked.

Equally so, the same could be said for Kowashi Suga, the current head of the regional tech division of the METI and Saito Esaki, twin brother of Satoru Esaki, and a vice-admiral in the JMSDF. Shido didn't tolerant fools lightly so it was only natural that he'd stacked his "cabal" as it could be called, with the sharpest and most intelligent people he could find.

Up to a point.

"You're thinking about him, aren't you?"

His brow knitted as his gaze flickered to his right. Where as most would have immediately cowed down to his piercing gaze, the man beside him did not. Partially because he'd been on the receiving end of it more than a few times over the course their many years of acquaintance.

Kijūrō Iwakura, his running pick for Minister of Foreign Affairs. The two of them had meant one another in college, studying political science naturally. Graduation had caused them to go their separated ways until they reunited close to six years later. Both of them were in an agreement with one another's ideals. Shido would never say it, but Kijūrō was one of the few he could stand to tolerate more than most. Calling him a friend was stretching it, but he was useful, and he was _reliable_. He knew that and wasn't afraid to use those things to his advantage when speaking his mind.

Flint-gray eyes narrowed in response to his aside glare, then softened. "Don't think too much about it. He's simply one kid who's gotten lucky. Keep thinking about it and you'll be giving him more credit than he deserves."

"I'm in agreement on that. Rest assured, Shido, he'll be caught in time. Tokyo is wide, but our net is wider so no need to worry so much over one scurrying rat." Came the always self-assured voice of Shintaro Hirobumi, yet another life-long associate of the bald-headed politician. In contrast to him and Iwakura, Hirobumi approached most things with an all too casual demeanor, at least on the surface. When the situation called for it, he could be serious; he didn't believe their current predicament warranted that attitude.

Another member of the table disagreed with him. "With all due respect, Hirobumi, I believe you're underestimating the enemy we're facing."

The Diet Member looked to Koide with a visibly annoyed glance. "Enemy, a bit of a strong word to use for an insect, don't you think?"

Expectedly, the robotics CEO kept his composure. Koide handled being talked down to far better than most people that Shido knew. Part of that was likely because he'd came up through Silver Scales' ranks from the bottom up earning his way to where he was. He almost found that trait admirable. "That insect you're speaking of is the one who enabled this to happen. I do mean _all_ of this." He continued sweeping his hand across the meeting room. Of course, his statement raised a few eyebrows and earned a few glares, specifically from Shido himself. "Child or not, Goro Akechi built the foundations for where we are now, thus he has the power to rip them out from under us."

"Impossible." Iwakura snapped, though still keeping a layer of composure to himself. "While you may have a point, Koide, we've grown far beyond what the boy believes. Besides, when his apartment was destroyed whatever evidence he might have had on us went up in flames."

Koide wasn't detoured. "Provided he didn't have back-up files and stashes"

His words went off like a bombshell in the water, sending distressing waves across the lake's surface rocking so many boats. Several grew visibly unnerved at the notion, no doubt probably giving it some real thought for the first time. Others were a tad more…vocal in their dislike of the statement.

"Alright, Koide, I know you've always been a bit sluggish, but now you're just pushing into outright delusional territory." Hirobumi fired off with noticeably disdain in his voice. "You're giving far much credit to this so-called boy detective. He's nowhere near as smart as the media, or _you_ seemed to think he is."

"He was intelligent enough to survive the Metaverse up until this point, not to mention he's survived all the attempts on his life that have been made sine his going rogue." Chimed in the good doctor drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Following a quick glance around, Kenzaburō reached into his pocket to pull out his first stick of gum. Right there in visibly sight, he began to chew on it, his quiet smacking causing angry knots to form on the foreheads of some like sprouts.

Shido was amongst that category. "Enough!" he barked silencing nearly everyone around the table with his booming voice. Eyes blazing behind his orange-tinted glasses, he turned his full attention to Koide. Just like Mitsumoto, the man refused to buckle under his penetrating glare like the rest of his underlings. "Koide, as we speak, I have people working on tracking down Akechi and the Phantom Thieves. Know that I will _not_ allow such a band of pathetic trash to ruin everything that I have worked for, least of all that snot-noised brat. Also, I want to make on thing perfectly clear, to _all_ of you," He could feel his anger beginning to boil over, but Shido knew better than to let it out in public like this. He'd gotten too good at controlling it up to a point. " _I_ am the reason we are all standing here, the reason why half of you are in the positions you're in now. Is that clear?" Too slowly for his liking there was a round of nodding around the table. " _I_ am the one who is going to-"

"T-T-T-The TV! P-Please, y-you have to turn on the TV!" Cried a suit-wearing staffer who unceremoniously busted into the room, his face one of fear and anxiety.

The fear naturally shot up a notch as the unfortunate man found himself the victim of the venomous glare sent by the cabal's leader. Clearly, he'd chosen the worst time.

Given the news he was bearing, one could argue that no time could have been considered any better. Or that's what Koide thought as he motioned for the massive flat screen that sat at the far left side of the room to be turned on.

And then there, in a freshly pressed suit and tie, looking as plain and natural as he did the last time, sat Goro Akechi. On TV, giving an interview.

Eyes widened, mouths dropped, and hearts came to a sudden stand still.

He was as composed as one would have expected of a person giving an interview. It could be seen in his eyes that wherever he was, it'd done him wonders in regaining his focus and wit as he was using both in his interview with a very attentive interviewer.

" _ **Over the last several months the string of recent incidents plaguing Tokyo including the 'terrorist' attack on Shinjuku Station have indeed been coordinated. But the culprit I can say for sure is not the Phantom Thieves, they are merely the scapegoat for another group of criminals at work. Amongst their, number, I regret to say, are those in our political system."**_

" _ **Akechi-san, you sound an awful lot like you're implying there is a criminal conspiracy at work. Quite a fantastical thought, don't you think?"**_

" _ **Well, as they say, truth is often stranger than fiction. Besides, as loath as one may be to admit it, our nation is not completely ignorant of such conspiracies and webs entangling the ruling government. It were these very things along with an overwhelming buddle of arrogance that led us to entering a war we had little hope of winning some seventy years ago. I fear that men who follow that every same line of thinking are the ones behind this conspiracy."**_

" _ **Again, that's a mighty big assumption…but, Akechi-san, you do have a point about that ideology never quite dying out when the last shot was fired seventy-seven years ago. Still, do you really believe that such extremist ideology is what's driving these people? What proof to do you?"**_

Koide briefly pulled his eyes away to glance around the room. It looked as if everyone was watching a ghost rise from the dead, a vengeful ghost at that.

" _ **I came here today with records and documents procured from verified sources that are no doubt being looked into as we speak. Now, I know the question that's probably dancing on your lips, where did I find this information? Did I have to break the law to attain it? All valid questions…but I can't answer them, not yet."**_

" _ **You do realize that puts into question the validity of this information?"**_

" _ **I'm well aware of that, but I also know there's a time and a place for everything. I can say for certain that the information that I have procured and released will be collaborated by another source within three days' time."**_

" _ **Ah, a timeline! You know you're just leaving breadcrumbs right now, aren't you? Are you afraid of stepping on certain toes, or making a fool of yourself while giving this interview, which I remind you is being broadcast to the entire nation?"**_

There was a light-hearted chuckle from the male brunette. An act of unmistakable confidence. _**"I will admit, I have been a fool. In my life, I have made…many foolish and even fatal mistakes, mistakes that I'll have to carry with me for the rest of my life, but rest assured. Me appearing today on camera isn't one of them. As for the other part of your question. I am fully sure that I'm stepping on some toes and entire feet of certain people. Those unscrupulous characters are probably watching-"**_

"AAARRRRHHH!"

The roar was like thunder confined in an enclosed space. It rightfully terrified the living hell out of half the conspirators assembled, especially since most had been so caught up in the interview, they'd utterly forgotten about Shido, who sat behind them all at the opposite end of the table. Chairs rolled back so far and fast that some threatened to fall onto the floor. Perhaps the worst of it were Iwakura and Hirobumi, both of whom had been beside Shido when he finally exploded. Both long-time politicians were now looking at the future director with faces of pure shock and horror. They seemed to also be debating if remaining seated so close to him was a wise idea.

"Ahem, Shido-san, I was watching that, it looked like it was just getting good." Kenzaburō chimed in as the cracked TV screen flickered in out and from a combination of the cracks in it as well as the liquid now seeping into the interior wiring. On a side note, he actually found it somewhat impressive. All Shido had thrown was a mere coffee cup, finally crafted and pristine, but with such force it'd left a noticeable series of cracks in the flat screen.

Normally, this was the part when the enigmatic doctor found himself on the receiving end of either a death glare, threat, rant, or all three. Some would have gone as far as to say he might have been thrown out the glass window that stretched from one end of the conference room to another. None of that happened as Shido was too focused on the flickering TV screen. While the picture may have been distorted, he could see just fine; he could still see the smug and assured face of the traitorous bastard who'd just bore his fangs at him. Veins popped along his forehead as the blazing hot anger within him continued to explode.

"Akechi…Akechi…AKECHI! YOU-"

* * *

 _ **Leblanc, 5:09 PM…**_

"-magnificent bastard!" Yelled the orange-haired hacker practically kicking the door open allowing the platoon of teenagers and one adult to pour into the now closed coffee shop.

"Hey, language!" Called the café owner which only made the teenagers giggle in amusement.

It'd taken some time for them all to finish up with their personal business so they could all meet at Leblanc for a "team meeting" as it was commonly called. Amongst each of the Phantom Thieves there was an air of alertness, excitement, awe, and most of all-triumph. In one way or another, they'd all seen the surprise interview given by their ninth and perhaps most troublesome member. Needless to say, by the end their mouths were agape much like those around them, but for a completely different reason.

Ryuji was the first to march over towards the two seated Wild Cards. His eyes were on the male brunette, and he was smiling.

Goro wasn't quite sure how to feel about that last part.

"Dude, I always knew you were a bastard, but you're turning into the kind of bastard I like!" Without missing a beat, he pulled the somewhat bewildered assassin into a one-armed embrace. "That was f'ing awesome!"

"Geez, think you could wait until we've closed the door and locked it? People are still outside you know!" Growled the feline team member moving between legs before climbing upward until he was standing on the counter. Normally, Sojiro wasn't one for such things, but he could make exceptions, such as right now for existence.

"I gotta say, I never in a million years would have thought you'd do something like that." Ann began with a hand on her hip and cocky smile on her face. "Whoever fixed you up before the camera started rolling, I've got to give them some prompts."

"Indeed, you looked strong, confident, and dare I say it, happy. You were enjoying yourself giving that interview." Inquired Yusuke with a smile that indicated he already knew the answer.

Still locked in Ryuji's arm-bound embrace, Goro gave the painter a small smile that was answer enough for him. His eyes drifted over to Haru, who gave him an approving grin while stepping aside to reveal the Niijima sisters. One of them looked happy like the rest of the team, the other…did not. Seeing the older one's expression Ryuji finally released the brown-haired Wild Card allowing for him to breath properly.

As with the night before at the clinic, tension gripped the Phantom Thieves as they watched the young detective and prosecutor, partners for months yet strangers that entire time, face off against one another.

Sae looked like she was going through a mixture of emotions, trying to decide rather or not she was to be angry, happy, or some mixture of the tow. Finally, she spoke up. "You really went along with it, huh?"

"Yes, yes I did. I did it because I believed in my heart it was the right move." There was a pause as the teenager's red eyes drifted downward. "And I…admittedly wanted to hit back against Shido."

"When you told me about that…encounter last night when we went out for food, honestly, I'm still having a hard time believing half of this supernatural stuff." Groaned the silver-haired woman.

"You and me both. But…all of this does prove that Wakabe's research was onto something real. Maybe a little too real." Started the oldest male member of the assembly. "I know that look and I think I may know a thing or two about what to do with the headache. What do you want me to get you?"

"Something strong and bitter, because I have a feeling that I'm going to need it." Came the very clearly drained reply as the prosecutor took a seat at one of the stools.

Akira, seeing his cue, asked his teammates what they wanted to drink as well. They gave an answer while they all took their seats in the closed café. Above their heads, the ceiling-mounted TV continued to play. Naturally, the top leading story was the "miraculous" return of the Second Coming o the Prince Detective, Goro Akechi. That alone was enough to make headlines, but his surprise sit-down interview had really stolen the show.

It'd done many things.

First of all, it'd confirmed that he was indeed alive. Second, it confirmed that the Phantom Thieves of Heart had nothing to do with his disappearance and attempted assassination, as well as the assassination of Okumura. Third, he'd alluded to the existence of Shido's conspiracy, complete with a cadre of political and financial breadcrumbs that were being picked up by independent sources. Fourth…he'd given the Phantom Thieves a deadline for their next target.

Goro's interview had given push back, but it wasn't enough. People were still reluctant to believe that the Phantom Thieves hadn't been involved with the Shinjuku Bombing. The doctored video was running across the media making it Goro's word against what people saw with their eyes. Only one thing could change that.

"I imagine right about now, Shido's office is likely in shambles right about now." Goro mused as he was given his coffee by his black-haired counterpart. "The man has one wicked temper…though I suppose I'm not exactly one to talk."

"Hey, you were able to keep yourself steady while giving that interview." Ann said. "If it were me, I think I might have just started going on and on and lost the subject. Seriously though, Akira, Goro, what the hell happened?"

The two Wild Cards locked eyes with one another, then took their pace at each other's side. Akira went first. "Goro came back to the clinic, showed me this envelope with an address and numbers written on it. We talked it out then decided to take a chance on it."

"Without telling the rest of us." Sae interjected giving the two boys sharp glares that half-heartedly shirked from.

"Anyways, the next morning we went to the address, and…surprise. Turns out it was a news broadcasting network, one that _wasn't_ owned by Shido."

"Then who was it owned by?" Asked Haru genuinely curious. She had a feeling that this story was about to take more twists and turns before reaching its conclusion.

Again, the Wild Cards looked to one another. One could have been forgiven for thinking they were beginning to develop some sort of "twin telepathy". Somehow, they both felt Haru's question was going to be answered in a rather…stunning way.

Moments later and they were proven right.

 _ **KNOCK! KNOCK!**_

"Excuse me, Akira, Goro, I believe I've given enough time for your team to assemble so I'd like to come in and sample this coffee that I've heard so much about!"

Practically half the room jumped. Except the two mentioned boys, who looked to the stunned Sojiro.

The man eventually sighed. "Would it _kill_ you two to keep the rest of us in the loop?" He complained.

"We're putting you in the loop now." Akira innocently answered.

"That's not the same thing!" Cried Ryuji, Makoto, and Sae all together in clearly extirpated voices.

"To be fair, this is a whirlwind for us too. I damn near had a heart attack when I realized who it was I was dealing with." Goro offered.

"Who is?" Makoto pressed looking more than a little peeved the two boys had kept so much from them. It was beginning to grant on her nerves more than a little.

Sojiro gave his nod of approval to Akira, who moved around the corner towards the door. He was sweating, a fact that several took notice of. He was the leader thus the lives of every person present within the café were his responsibility. He was gambling with their lives by putting his trust in this person who lay just beyond the door. What gave him the right do such a thing?

 _ **Nothing.**_ Spoke the black-winged phantom thief that was his inner self. A clawed hand gently fell over his, giving him the warmth of courage and strength to turn the knob. _**Nothing is promised, nothing is certain, yet we must struggle onward. Perhaps there will not be a helping hand, but perhaps there will be; it ultimately falls to us to reach out and determine that.**_

The knob was turned and the door opened allowing the occupant on the other side to step in revealing himself.

He was just as Goro had described, surprisingly tall like Akira, just about his height with sleeked back black hair and finely polished glasses behind which a set of amber-yellow eyes observed the assembled group. It was next to impossible to tell what he thought of them for his mature face containing barely any discernible wrinkles gave away nothing. What his body on the other hand gave away was an aura of confidence and power that the Phantom Thieves of Heart were forced to acknowledge.

Expectedly, he wore a fine pressed and unwrinkled suit complete with a sky-blue necktie with the number one emboldened upon it. For Sojiro, that alone was enough of a dead giveaway as his eyes widened. This didn't go completely unnoticed.

Held in his right hand was a metallic briefcase that he dropped into the arms of a black-suited attendant. Unlike the glasses-wearing man, his skin was noticeably tanner, darker and his hair loose enough and long enough to be pulled into a small pony tail. He was of southeast Asian heritage. He only briefly regarded the group of teenagers and adults before stepping aside so his superior could proceed to a stool to sit on.

"If you'd be so kind, may I please have a menu, to choose from Mr. Sakura?" He questioned in a polite enough tone.

Sojiro, visibly tense, nodded his head and began to search behind the counter.

As he did so, the rest of the group watched the suit-wearing man with wound up tension in their bodies. Even Goro, who knew precisely who it was they were dealing with.

"To answer your question, Makoto," He said keeping his eyes trained on the man. "Kei Nanjo, head of the Nanjo Financial Group, one of the largest conglomerates in the world."

"Meaning my power far outstrips Shido's, not that he'll ever admit to that. Just another thing I can hold over his head." The bespectacled man added with some amusement in his voice. "Oh, and I am also in a way, your predecessors."

"Our prede-what?" Blinked Ryuji suddenly feeling a cool chill at his back.

Temporarily breaking the mood, Morgana rolled his eyes. "Predecessor, as in one who comes before another in a certain position. Geez, how you're on track to passing the grade will never cease to amaze me."

Just as the male blond opened his mouth to retort, laughter slipped from the older male's mouth as he peered over the menu presented to him. "Ah, the bickering. That proves without a doubt that you guys are the right band of youngsters. After all, every team must have a pair of fools who enjoy arguing back and forth, though this is the first time that one of the pair has been an animal. Hm, you two appear to be the opposite of-"

"WHAT?!" Practically screeched the entire café nearly causing the glass windows and cups to break. In the background, the bodyguard chuckled.

Morgana looked close to falling off the counter as his fur stood up on end. "Y-Y-Y-You can h-h-hear me?"

Kei looked to the feline with a smirk. "Yes, I can. After all, _I_ am a Persona-user myself, amongst the first generation." As if to emphasize his point, he subtly flared up his aura, which was only visible to the Persona-users in the room.

The eight teens and cat saw it, the azure shimmer around the man as well as the shadowy figure that rose from him, golden eyes staring at them. It confirmed the man's words.

And sent their hearts racing into overdrive.

"Dad!" Screamed Futaba, horrid memories overriding her common sense causing her to scramble across the counter and throw her arms around the café owner in a protective grasp. Following after them was Yusuke, who slid across the counter, a fierce look in his eyes.

"Sis! Get behind me!" Snapped Makoto bolting from her seat along with Haru to move in front of the stunned but still unsuspecting prosecutor.

Ryuji and Ann went on alert as well, jumping out of their seats; the former moved in front of the latter, a vicious snarl on his face.

Akira and Goro stood still as statues, though no less alert than their teammates. Their souls were resonating, the latter's more so than the former's. Pulsing within him was the unexpected bond that he'd formed with the corporate CEO, one that he hadn't asked for. Then again, he hadn't really asked to form such a close bond with anyone in the café. He'd trusted them even though he'd told himself that none of these people meant anything to him. They'd trusted him even though they had every reason not to. The person who arguably started the entire chain stood across from him. The Wild Cards looked into one another's eyes.

 _This is ballsy, even for us._ Akira said in a mental conversation only they were in on.

 _True…but isn't the thief life one of taking chances?_ Replied the male brunette.

Knowing laughter would have been a tad inappropriate for the situation, Akira stuck to giving the male brunette a light smile, one that he calmly returned. Their exchange was noticed by Morgana, who couldn't help but feel some sense of ease at seeing the two Wild Cards positively interacting. Perhaps there was also a bit of teacher's pride when it came to Akira.

Bravely, he stepped forward. "So, know what you'd like to order yet?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. I'll take a single espresso while my friend over there will have an affogato, single scoop of vanilla if you don't mind." Was his nonchalant reply.

There was a series of blinks all around as the glasses-wearing teenager moved to deliver on the orders. First, he leaned down, placing a pair of comforting hands on Futaba's shoulders while giving Yusuke an assuring look. Both Persona users regarded him with naked curiosity and questioning, but eventually relented as they moved off.

"Who…who the hell are you, exactly? H-How do you know about Personas? How do you have one? How do you know about us?" Continued Ann, her curiosity having completely gotten the better of her.

Rather than immediately respond, the mysterious man directed his attention towards the now risen Sojiro Sakura. Following his gaze, all eyes went to the café owner, and rightfully so. "For the record, this is our first time meeting each other face to face, officially. You see…the Nanjo Conglomerate were amongst the backers of Wakabe's research into cognitive science."

" _What?!"_

"You funded my mom's research?!" Futaba exclaimed looking at the CEO with saucer-sized eyes.

"Well, actually, my family did, but more or less. Yes, I was quite aware of your mother's research, your mother's as well, Goro." Kei said in his continued even tone.

Now all eyes went to the male brunette, who stood rigid as a sculpture amongst the shocked looks he was receiving.

"Her research," Sae repeated, her mind connecting the pieces.

"That can only mean that…Akechi, your mother and Futaba's mother, they worked together, didn't they?" Haru finally summarized. The bombshell hit, fanning across the enclosed space. As one would have expected, Futaba took the news with the biggest reaction. Her jaw dropped as she stared at the runaway assassin; it seemed for the first time in a while she was seriously wondering how closely tied together Goro was to her mother. Or rather, what truly lay in her mother's past. Flickering her gaze to the side, she saw that the hacker's adoptive father wasn't far behind her.

Haru knew what she was seeing in the older man's eyes: recognition, acceptance, horror…and…sadness.

 _Sojiro-san…you know much more than you're letting on. How many secrets are being kept from us? What else don't we know?_ Slowly, her face turned to the still-seated conglomerate owner. Haru had been around her fair share of upscale people; quite a few had been unpleasant people, but there were a few who were quite benign and even noble. From what she could see, Kei Nanjo might just be in the latter camp. Or at least, she was hoping so. "Mr. Nanjo…have you come to help us in our battle against Shido?"

In facing the orphaned heiress, the older Persona user's gaze visibly softened, his entire demeanor really. "Yes, I have. Surely, you're asking yourselves why. Well, I can say I have ulterior motives, I'm not _that_ much of a nice guy."

"Well, of course you're not. You're a corporate big-whig." Came the somewhat snide reply of Ryuji, only to get elbowed by the pig-tailed blonde.

Kei laughed. "True, true. To get to my position, you do have to do some rather unclothe things from time to time."

"And one of those things involves sending children off to die?" Sae coldly snapped.

Any second, the teens escaped the suit-wearing bodyguard sitting directly behind Kei to burst into action. At best, he just gave the silver-haired woman an aside glance, and nothing more. Apparently, he had some experience at this; that or he didn't consider the prosecutor a real threat.

"Sae," Akira calmly called returning with a steaming hot cup in his hand. He did quite well for only having full use of one arm; his adventures in the Metaverse had given him vast experience in improvising and making the most out of an injured body. Gently, he laid it down while giving the woman a quiet yet resolved smile. "We made out choice, to put our lives on the line ourselves. All of us." He added looking at his eight odd but devoted teammates, all of whom returned his hard glare. Finally, he turned back to the apparent veteran Persona-user. "None of us are under any illusions about who or what we're up against. We're the underdogs…and this isn't a boxing match, it's a street fight meaning that we have to use everything we've got in order to win. That includes accepting help from unknown…and…even dangerous sources."

"Is that an acceptance of help, I hear?" Kei pressed with a raised eyebrow.

Akira stood resolute before the seated man. "Yes…I am. That is if you can _really_ help us."

For the first time, the veteran smiled directly at the teenage Wild Card. _Naoya, Tatsuya, Minato, Yu…your mantle's been passed to a worthy successor._ "I can, I'm just hoping you kids are ready to listen, and have it in you for the long haul because trust me, from here on it, things will be getting _brutal_."

Outside the shop, prone atop the café's rooftop sat an azure butterfly, but a man. A man in a mask, a butterfly-shaped mask. He was smiling.

* * *

 **So, interesting little tidbit, everyone. The last eight chapters took place over the span of a SINGLE day. It honestly took me by surprise looking back as originally, I kind of agonized over how much could I fit the story's events between late November and mid-December. A lot can happen in a single day, as I'm sure you can guess. Still, it does thematically lineup since a day began…and the Phantom Thieves arguably got a second chance/new start.**

 **As promised, this chapter shook things up a little, didn't they? Shido made a televised broadcast and now so too has Goro, though given the difference between their clout, the latter's interview wasn't quite as impactful. The team's still got a heart they're going to have to steal before they can seriously start turning things around, but they'll be getting some help with that.**

 **Honestly, I don't think Kei's inclusion comes as too much of a surprise, I've dropped a whole lot of hints his way; finally being able to bring him into the story felt pretty nice. His role's going to be close to as it was during Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, except more hands off meaning he'll be the Phantom's "big good" on the human side. I feel his involvement in the plot makes more sense as Kei's goal was to be the number one man in Japan, which would naturally bring him into conflict with Shido, whose dealings and actions would remind him far too much of Kandori and Tatsuzou. They both deeply parallel Shido in being powerful figures (the latter of whom being political) and using a teenager/family member's supernatural powers for their own gain. Likewise, while everyone compares Goro to Ken from P3, he's got a fair deal in common with Reiji Kido from Persona Revelations who was the first to have revenge as a driving motive. All of that said, don't worry, a certain rapier-wielding red-head and her associates will also be showing up…with some surprises of their own.**

 **To answer some questions, Kei's still got his Persona abilities and his Arcana is still the Hierophant, being Goro's Confidant Link to the Arcana. The Hierophant is the arcana representing education, obedience, and lastly a link to the divine. All three of these things will play a role in Goro and Kei's relationship with each other, but regarding the second one, there's going to be a twist on it. Persona 5's themes were centered on rebellion and corrupt authority which Shido embodied so Kei's going to be a bit of a positive reversal. The Phantom Thieves are naturally weary of him, especially Goro, but like Akira said, they're in a street fight so it's do what you gotta do to win, even if it means taking risks and breaking rules. Having once been in their shoes, Kei's going to be able to sympathize.**

 **Next chapter should be up in two weeks' time, hopefully. It'll feature the Phantom Thieves getting some much-needed information and preparations to take on their next target, because boy, are they going to need it! So, having said all that, happy Thanksgiving to you, dear readers! Oh, and please no spoilers regarding Persona 5 The Royal. I've put myself on a media blackout until it comes out in the west like some others and would appreciate it if the change ups to the original game were kept a genuine surprise! Plus, this story's kind of already got a set path so, you get the idea.**


End file.
